


As You Wish

by Andimpink



Category: Overwatch (Video Game), Princess Bride (1987)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Angst that I did not expect myself but here we are nonetheless, Chases, Escapes, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fencing, Giants, Heroes, Hot Springs Sex, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mild Angst, Miracles, Princess Bride AU, Romance, Smut, Torture, True Love, Villains, slight slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:15:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 56,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23422288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andimpink/pseuds/Andimpink
Summary: Everyone was always saying that true love was truly the greatest force in the world, but you could not believe a single word of it. How could you when the only man you’d ever loved was gone from this world? Five years ago, you might have been able to agree. That was the last time you’d ever seen, held, kissed him-- your farm boy, your Gabriel. Princess Bride AU
Relationships: Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Reader
Comments: 69
Kudos: 153





	1. Chapter 1

Everyone was always saying that true love was truly the greatest force in the world, but you could not believe a single word of it. How could you when the only man you’d ever loved was gone from this world? Five years ago, you might have been able to agree. That was the last time you’d ever seen, held, kissed him-- your farm boy, your Gabriel. 

You had lived happily on your family’s farm, spending your days working on chores and cooking meals. It was a simple life and you don’t know if you would have ever asked for more. Your work was not all that difficult, but there was a lot of it. Yet, you still found it enjoyable. There were only two things that brought you more pleasure than your work and that was your daily ride through town and when you bossed around Gabriel. 

Gabriel helped your father with the more laborious work like tending to crops, caring for livestock, and fixing fencing among other structures vital to farm. He was strong and hardworking, but rarely spoke to anyone. That was, anyone except for you.

You’d taken to calling him nothing more than ‘farm boy’, though you knew his name. He did not seem to care and so you continued on like this. Every day, you’d made it a habit to ask him to do simple tasks for you. Sometimes, the tasks were ones that made him have to put aside his own work. All he ever said in response to your demands was this simple phrase--

“As you wish.”

Those three words were one’s you’d never forget, for they would one day be written permanently on your heart. 

Gabriel knew what you were doing when you pestered him daily, though he could hardly call it pestering. It seemed the both of you did and said things that really meant something other than what was intended. For you, your daily demands were attempts at getting his attention. You wanted nothing more than for him to say more than those three words and to become something more than a farm boy to you. On the other hand, those three words meant something else entirely.

He had it figured out, but you still had not caught on. Weeks passed and months flew by. Each day, you demanded more and more of your farm boy. 

“Fetch the water for supper.”

“Get rid of the stains from this shirt.”

“Find me the largest tomatoes from the garden.”

“Don’t return until you’ve fully groomed my horse and she sparkles like the sun on the sea.”

Gabriel looked forward to hearing you call for him, from wherever it was you were. The sweet yet teasing tone in which you called him ‘farm boy’ lit a fire in his heart. He’d come looking for you, wait to hear what it was you had to say, and then promptly give you his response.

“As you wish.”

“As you wish.

“As you wish.”

“As you wish.”

Until one day, it clicked in your mind what he was truly saying to you. He always looked you in the eyes as he spoke. His rumbling voice dropped to a whisper as he uttered those three words. Those three words made your heart flutter in your chest and, no matter the circumstances of the day, made you feel happier than you could ever explain. Yes, you finally realized the man’s meaning in his word’s. Your farm boy had been playing you just as you had played him. For when Gabriel said ‘as you wish’ what he truly meant was ‘I love you’. 

Upon this revelation, you dropped the chores you’d been doing and chased after him as he went to complete the task you’d given him. Skirt billowing as you ran and your feet thudding against the soft ground, you called out his name knowing you had to tell him that you felt the same. 

You could still recall the way he turned around to find you running towards him. The sun was setting just beyond the horizon and the sky was aglow with hues of orange and purple. Against that colorful backdrop, you swore you’d never want another man in your life as long as you had him.

The pace you had set only increased as you drew near. Before he could comprehend what was going on, you flung yourself into his arms. He held you to him tightly as you looked up into his gorgeous brown eyes and confessed your feelings to him and to yourself for the first time.

“Gabriel, I love you. I know all I’ve ever done has order you around and treat you like a servant, but I have loved you for just a few moments now and I fear I will never love another.” you cried out, holding to him as if he’d let you go. “I’ve never called you by name and after speaking it, I fear my love is only growing more for you by the second. I could say your name a thousand times and always find that I love you more and more. Forgive me, but please tell me truly if there is anywhere in your heart that I could call mine. Let me have a piece of it and I would gladly give you all of mine. Oh dear, sweet Gabriel. Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel--”

You spoke no more as he captured your lips with his. Of all the greatest kisses in the world, that kiss nearly put them all to shame. In his arms, your chests pressed together, and your lips poured passion for one another until both of you could hardly breathe. When you parted, panting for oxygen and face flushed, Gabriel cupped one of your cheeks and pressed a gentler, softer kiss to your forehead.

“You have my heart and my soul.” he whispered. 

However, Gabriel wanted to give you much more than just that. He had little to nothing to his name and if he were to love you, he wanted to be able to give you anything your heart could ever desire. Your family’s farm could not pay him enough for that, nor could any form of employment in the country of Overton. 

He couldn’t bear the thought of you growing bored of him and the simple farm life. If he were to let this love flourish, he would let it flourish surrounded by anything either of you could ever wish for. You would want for nothing and he would love you until his dying breath. 

In town, he’d heard of a ship preparing to sail west to a newly discovered land. It was said the land was rich with opportunities and ready for those willing to turn a profit by working for a period of time in the strange new place. Gabriel was still young and his work ethic was unlike any others. In the days following the confession of feelings, he decided his course of action.

Gabriel would leave for the new world and return in five years time to marry you and give you all that you asked for.

The day he parted was a day you could never forget. You feared you would never see your love again, that something would happen and he’d never return. As you embraced for the last time, you voiced this to Gabriel on the brink of tears.

“Of course you will see me again.” he assured as he held you tighter. 

“But what if something happens to you?” you questioned. This whole thing was dangerous and frightening. If something didn’t go askew with the long voyage, then the new world surely had dangers of its own. You only wished you could go with him, but knew your place was there on the farm and away from the dangers of an unknown place. “What if something keeps you from returning to me?”

“(Y/n), listen to these words and never forget them-- I will always come for you.” Gabriel said, his words wrapping around your heart and comforting your racing thoughts. 

“How can you be sure?” 

“This is true love. I feel it in my heart and I see it in your eyes.” Gabriel responded. Pulling away, he cupped your cheek and smiled softly. “It doesn’t just happen every day. I swear that I will always be true. My love for you will only grow in our time apart and I would go through Hell and back to be here in five years with enough money to marry us and live out the rest of our lives together.”

He wiped the stray tears on your cheeks and pressed one last kiss to your lips. “I love you, (y/n).”

“I love you too.”

That was the last time you saw Gabriel. 

His ship parted the next morning, but not even a week into its voyage and it was faced with trouble. This time of year, the sea was riddled with pirates of all kinds, but none more fearsome than the Dread Pirate Reaper. Reaper and his crew were ruthless and, aside from their plundering and pillaging, they never took prisoners.

When word of this reached your town and you, you were utterly heartbroken. The moment those words met your years, you ran to your room and locked the door behind you. For days, you neither slept nor ate. Your grief consumed you entirely and from that day on, you swore to yourself that you would never love again. 

Five years had passed since that day and you still remained faithful to your word. You had not loved nor did you plan to love another. 

However, some things were not up to you and despite your promise, the world seemed to have other things in mind.

Your hands shook nervously as you waited behind the set of doors where, just beyond them, you could hear the muttering of a crowd of people. Behind you, a hand maid adjusted the train of your gown one last time before disappearing into the halls of the castle. You ran your hands down the bodice, smoothing the white lace and your palms catching on the gold embroidery.

The crowd silenced and you heard the booming voice of your fiance speaking to them.

“My people, a month from now will mark the five hundredth anniversary of our beloved country. On that sundown, I will marry and take my place as king.” his voice called out, the citizens of Overton listening intently. You took a shaking breath and waited a little more. “The one I am to marry was once a commoner like yourselves, but you may find she is not so common now.”

A cheer rose up and drowned out your fiance’s voice for a moment.

“May I present to you, my bride-- Princess (y/n)!”

With that, the doors before you were pulled open and a fanfare of trumpets announced your entrance.

_ Here I go _ \-- you thought to yourself, taking a deep breath to settle your nerves. 

Putting one foot in front of the other, you glided out into the courtyard where people you once saw every day waited to see you again. Your family was there, beaming at you proudly. There were familiar faces of townspeople as well. When you reached the end of the carpet, you looked up to the balcony where your fiance stood. His eyes met yours and you looked away, back to the people you knew and truly cared for.

Prince Morrison was a very handsome man, as he was an excellent hunter. As he’d said, he would be king in a months time upon your marriage. This was the sort of thing many girls dreamed of, but not you. For all the things a prince and soon-to-be king could give you, you would never be happy with him. You did not love him and there was nothing you could do to escape marrying the man.

If only you could have gone back to the past and made Gabriel stay, maybe you would have not ended up here. You only prayed that your life would not be so miserable at the side of Prince Morrison and that you could live out your days in a blissful numbness, wed to a man you would never love.


	2. Chapter 2

Once you finally returned to the inside of the castle, you let out a shuddering breath. Your nerves were still on end and you couldn’t believe you stood in front of all those people. Would you ever forget the hundreds of pairs of eyes all on you for those few minutes? Even the eyes of your soon-to-be husband was something you found so unsettling. Your family looked on at you proudly, but since you’d come to stay at the castle your ties had almost disappeared completely.

It was so strange to find yourself in this place you’d never imagined being. You came from almost nothing. All you had known was the farm and the fresh air. This new life was different from the one you lived before. There were rules and etiquette. At any time of the day, there were certain things that were going on. Lords and ladies and thrones and crowns were never on your list of things to be bothered with.

The hand maid who had kindly prepared you for your presentation to the people of Overton returned. She had another dress in hand and started to lead you towards your quarters in the castle to change into it. You followed her quietly, not caring to speak of yet another nail in the coffin sealing you to this fate.

Neither of you made it that far before Prince Morrison appeared from a joining stretch of hallway. The maid stopped in front of you suddenly and you nearly ran into the back of her, but stopped just short of her heels. 

“Your highness.” the maid said as she curtsied. “I was just taking the princess to change from her gown.”

The prince nodded, then looked to you with a beaming smile. “I was wondering if the princess would join me for lunch.” he said, his eyes never leaving yours. Something about the way he looked at you made your skin crawl, but you chalked it up to your vow you’d made to never love. You didn’t love the prince and yet you were to be tied to him for the remainder of your life. No one would feel comfortable with that. “I was thinking it was such a lovely day, we could take it in the gardens.”

“Forgive me, my prince, but I was going to go on my daily ride.” you responded. That was the one element of your life from before that you couldn’t bear to let go. It was the only time you truly had to yourself and it allowed you to go beyond the castle walls. “If you don’t mind waiting, I could join you after. I’ll just be riding down to the bay beyond the forest.”

“Ah, yes. I nearly forgot your daily ritual.” the prince commented. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t keep you.” Prince Morrison approached you and held out a hand for you to take. You slid your palm into his and he bent down, kissing the back of your hand gently. His eyes lifted to you as he rose back to his perfectly poised posture. “Do be careful, my dear. That forest is much too close to the Thieves Forest. I wouldn’t be pleased a bit if some thugs were to harm you for any reason.”

“I will be alright.” you said reassuringly. “I’ve ridden down there many times and never came across any issues with anyone from the Thieves Forest. If you’d like, you could join me.”

“No, no, I couldn’t.” Prince Morrison said politely. “Go enjoy your ride and I will see you for lunch in the gardens after. Be safe, my darling.”

With that said, your fiance disappeared down the hall he had come from. You and your maid continued to your quarters, where she helped you from your gown and into the one she had prepared for you. It was a beautiful garment, as was nearly anything you were provided with to wear. The fabric was a brilliant shade of red and draped across your body, looking like a cascade of the finest red paint. It reminded you of the wild roses that grew near your family’s farm with its vibrant color. 

Once you were changed, you slipped into your riding boots and made your way down to the stables. Your horse, a pretty mare named Sea Biscuit, whinnied at you gently as you came into view. She was one of the few things you brought with you to the castle. While the prince had many steeds to choose from, you were content with having the horse you’d ridden since a young girl. 

You saddled her up and headed for the forest.

The Overton scenery was always beautiful and you found comfort in its familiarity. Fall was undeniably here and only added to the country’s charm. Harvests were in progress and the leaves on the trees had changed color. Everywhere you looked, you were met with the shades of orange and brown and, occasionally, red. There was a slight chill in the air and you wondered how far off the first snow would be.

Scenery flew past you as you pushed Sea Biscuit harder into the forest. The feeling of her galloping, hooves pounding against the earth, and the wind in your hair made you feel free. Your cheeks were flushed from the brisk wind and you might have returned to the castle looking askew thanks to your ride, but it was worth gaining that sense of owning your own fate. From the back of your horse, you had the reins in your hands and you controlled where you went. 

Sadly, the ride couldn’t last forever. Through the trees, you could see them clearing out to lead to the bay. Slowing Sea Biscuit to a trot, you wanted nothing more than to revel in the poignant sounds of the woods. The wind through the trees carried with it a wail of sadness and the lapping of the water at the shore echoed your loneliness. 

However, you were not alone.

No, as you drew closer to the bay, you noticed a solitary ship-- one you recognized to be a fishing ship meant for a crew no bigger than five. It flew no flag and was anchored at the small dock that you’d never seen occupied. Curiosity drew you forward and before you knew it, you found yourself in quite the predicament.

“Ahoy there, fair maiden!” a voice called out. Your head snapped to where it had come from and were surprised to see two men and a young woman. The man who had just called out to you stepped forward. He looked strong and fearsome, but the way in which he smiled at you made you tentative to move closer. You halted Sea Biscuit and looked down at the man. “My crew and I seem to be lost.”

His crew of two seemed odd to you. It was considered bad luck to have a woman on any ship and yet there was one part of his crew. She was lithe and carried a sword at her hip. Her long black hair was braided back and the one side of her head, it was entirely shaved and she had two thick scars running from her temples to the back of her head. 

Whereas their captain was a muscled and strong looking man, he paled in comparison to the giant of a man that made up the third member of his crew. He had hands the size of dinner plates and towered over the others. His legs were like two massive tree trunks and you swallowed your nerves as the three moved closer.

“Is there a town nearby where we could get directions and maybe find a place to stay for the night?” the captain asked.

“Well, no.” you answered. “Not for miles, I’m afraid.”

The captain looked to his crew and then back to you. The giant stepped towards you and you felt your heart leap into your throat.

“Excellent. Then there will be no one to hear your screams.” the captain chuckled darkly.

Before you knew what was happening, the giant seized you by the back of your neck. His fingers squeezed tightly and your body went slack and. All you managed to cry out before falling unconscious was a soft whimper as you were pulled from the back of your horse.

“Get her in the boat, Siebren.” the captain said. “Olivia, prepare us to set sail.”

“Akande, don’t forget the crest of Omnica.” Olivia tossed over her shoulder as she followed Siebren to the boat. They did have a mission after all and kidnapping the princess was just part of it.

Akande tore the crest of Omnica, the country across the sea, from a piece of fabric that had once been part of a uniform of one of their soldiers. He tucked it into the saddle of the princess’s horse and gave a slap to its hindquarters. The animal reared up and took off back towards the castle where it was sure to be found by someone. 

Returning to the boat, he knew that they would need to cover some ground and cover it quickly. If they were found out, then they’d all be in some serious trouble.

“Let’s get a move on.” he said, making his way to the helm of the ship. “We need to reach the Omnica frontier before sundown tomorrow. If our dear princess is not found dead there, it will be our own heads on the chopping block.”

Siebren lifted his head from the lines he had been tying, looking shocked. He may have appeared to be a man of great strength, but he was truly kind at heart. “You never said anything about killing anyone.”

“I hired you to help me start a war.” Akande pointed out. “There won’t be a war if there isn’t something to incite it. The bride of the future king of Overton is a small price to pay.”

“I just don’t think it is right.” Siebren continued. “Killing an innocent girl.”

Akande clenched his fists at his sides. “It does not matter what you think. You were hired for your strength and nothing more. Get those ropes tied and get us sailing.” he barked angrily.

“For once, I agree with Siebren, boss.” Olivia voiced. The giant of a man looked to her and smiled warmly for her standing up for him. “Why couldn’t we just attack Omnica while sailing under an Overton flag or wearing their uniforms? I wouldn’t have minded a stealth mission and a chance to use my blade.”

“What happens to the girl is of no concern to either of you and I would appreciate it if you put your mind far from it. I will be the one to kill her.” Akande said. “You two are here to help me accomplish this task at any cost and I do not need anyone telling me how to do that. Siebren, you were nothing when I found you. The whole town thought you to be mad and feared you for your incredible strength. I’ve given you something to put your talents to use. Do not make me take you back to where I found you.”

“I’m sorry, Akande.” Siebren said quietly, the enormous man seeming to shrink in on himself from the harsh words.

“And Olivia, should you care to go back to sitting useless with an empty bottle in your hand, I advise you to do as you’re told.” Akande hissed. He would not stand for insubordination, not when he was to be rewarded greatly for this job. “Now get this ship moving. We sail for the Cliffs of Talon.”

Akande went to stand at the helm of the ship, leaving his crew to get things moving. Siebren went back to untying the sails and Olivia joined him. Over the course of their time together, the two had become close, good friends even. Olivia knew that Akande’s harshness weighed heavily on Siebren’s mind and she made it a point to cheer him up whenever she could.

Her way of doing this was simple-- Siebren enjoyed music and poetry. He claimed to constantly hear verses and tunes in his head, which was why the town from which he came had claimed him to be mad. Olivia did not see it that way and she enjoyed getting him to share such things with her. 

“Akande doesn’t mean us  _ harm _ .” Olivia said, emphasizing the last word.

“Harm. Harm.” Siebren repeated. His hard thinking was visible on his face. “He is very short on  _ charm _ .”

“Let us get this ship  _ sailing _ .” Olivia continued.

“Maybe then he will stop his  _ wailing _ .” Siebren said, smiling.

Olivia laughed quietly and patted Siebren on the arm. “You have a great gift for rhyme.”

Siebren glanced to Akande, who had started back towards them. “Yes, but it is working time.”

“Enough rhyming. We have to get a move on.” Akande said. “Weigh anchor, dead ahead.”

Olivia moved to man the wheel at the back of the ship and Siebren pulled the anchor up. He went to join his companion and whispered so that Akande could not hear.

“Maybe I can sing instead.”

As they sailed away from the dock, Olivia chuckled at the man’s humor.

“No more laughing, no more rhyming.” Akande barked one last time and the rag tag crew fell silent. With their voyage started, they would likely reach their destination in time and well ahead of any search party sent after them. 


	3. Chapter 3

You awoke to the rocking of the ship and a throbbing headache. Your eyes fluttered open and you were met with the light of lanterns cast over the deck. As you sat up, straining your sore muscles from having been laid upon the harsh wood of the ship, you realized that your hands and feet were bound with rope.  _ So much for any attempts at escape… _

“It seems our dear princess is awake.” Your eyes looked across from you to see him seated against the opposite side of the boat. He sat just outside of the reach of the lanterns glow, but you could see the outline of the man. “I take it you had a nice nap.”

You bit your lip, keeping yourself from giving in to his taunts. 

The boat lurched with a sudden wave and you felt your stomach turn.

The humming of a soft melody had you looking to your left. “She is looking a little green, Akande.” the giant said. He stood at the edge of the boat next to you, arms supporting him on the railing as he looked down at you. You wished you could have scooted further away from him, but feared moving at all. Much to your surprise, he smiled at you. “Hello there.”

“Hi.” you said meekly. Another lurch of the boat had you pressing your bound hands to your mouth. Your eyes caught sight of the woman at the wheel as you turned back to stare across from you.

The captain, Akande as the giant had mentioned, chuckled. “Haven’t got a taste for the sea, do you princess?” You squeezed your eyes shut tightly, wishing it could block out everything from your senses, but knew it couldn’t. Your chest heaved as you took deep breaths of air, hoping the cool night air would help to alleviate some of your nausea. “Well, we should reach the cliffs by dawn.”

Your kidnappers fell silent and you allowed yourself some time to try and not spill what was left of your stomach’s contents. Who knew if these strangers would feed you, let alone if you could trust them enough to eat whatever it was that they gave? You were really regretting not taking lunch with Prince Morrison before your ride.

Thinking of your fiance made you realize that he’d had to have sent a search party to find you. That thought gave you hope. It was likely he was part of it himself, being the excellent hunter he was. Yes, these thugs would be punished when they were caught.

“Sombra, you keep looking behind us.” Akande commented loudly. You allowed your eyes to open back up and found him scowling towards the woman. “Quit doing that.”

“I’m just checking to make sure no one is following us.” she shot back, taking one more quick glance behind the ship.

Akande tutted, shaking his head. “That would be inconceivable.”

“I would not say that.” you cut in. Akande looked to you with an unamused expression. “Despite what you may think, you will be caught. Prince Morrison will come for me-- he probably already is. When you are caught, I assure you that you will be hanged.”

There was a beat of silence as Akande’s eyes slowly met yours. “Of all the necks for you to be worried about, your highness, it should be your own.”

His voice was loaded with meaning and you guessed it was because you were not safe there with them. They had intentions beyond your knowledge and would be hard pressed to give them away. You dropped your gaze to your bound hands, not wishing to converse further.

A few minutes passed with nothing but the sound of the water lapping at the sides of the boat and the gusts of wind that caught the sails. The air was heavy with tension, despite there being no impending conflict. You had no desire to fight your captors with their nerves on edge already. They would likely catch on to anything you had planned before you actually got around to enacting it.

Curiosity had you looking up once again to the woman, Sombra you believed, at the wheel of the ship. Yet again, she was glancing off into the distance behind the boat. Akande must have noticed because he grumbled and rose from his spot across from you.

“What did I tell you? Can’t you just relax?” Akande snapped. “This is almost over.”

Sombra sighed defeatedly, but then continued much to your surprise. “Are you sure no one is following us?”

“As I said, it would be absolutely and totally inconceivable. No one in Omnica will be expecting us and no one in Overton could get here so fast.” Akande explained. He paused a moment, looking as if he’d drop the subject, but he looked inquisitively towards the back of the ship. It seemed the giant was curious as well, as he rose up to his full height and joined the other two in looking back towards the direction they’d just sailed from. “Out of curiosity, why do you ask?”

“Akande, I think we might have underestimated someone. I’ve been keeping an eye on a ship we passed a while back and, while it is still a ways off, it seems to be following us.” Sombra answered.

This seemed to light a fire in the captain and he stomped across the deck and up the short steps to look for himself. “What?” he huffed, staring off behind the boat. “It is probably just coincidence that there’s another ship headed the same way we are.”

It dawned on you that everyone’s backs were turned. They were distracted by the discovery that someone was following them or could be following them. Perhaps if you escaped and jumped into the water, you could make your way towards that ship. It was dark and the water was likely frigid, but it was much better than suffering a death at the hands of these three. 

Your hands were bound but if you could get them undone, your feet would be just as easy. Lifting your wrists up in front of your face, you looked to figure out the best way of going about it. It was clear you’d have to use your mouth to free them and so you set to work. The rope was hard and tasted of salt water and dirt. You nearly gagged from it’s overpowering taste, but did your best to focus on the task at hand.

“Maybe it’s a fisherman out for a pleasure cruise. At night.” Akande pondered aloud. You felt your bonds loosen little by little. “Where exactly are we, Sombra? Maybe he’s caught a current.”

“Not in these waters, Akande. We’re lucky we have the wind and he’s probably using the same as us.” Sombra said. The rope around your wrists slid down your forearms and you pulled it away, tossing it aside before setting to work on your feet. “If I remember correctly, these waters are dangerous at night and fisherman wouldn’t dare cast a net or line here.”

“Why not?” the giant asked.

You quietly rose and turned around to look over the edge of the boat. The water was not that far of a drop, but it was still terrifying to think of attempting to jump overboard. You were crazy to be doing this, but if it meant escaping you’d risk anything.

“Why not?” Akande repeated.

You tossed a leg over the edge, the rocking of the ship catching you off guard for a moment and you held tightly to the railing. Casting one last glance towards your captors, you took a deep breath and let yourself slide off and into the water, missing the last thing that Sombra said.

“These waters are infested with giant eels-- Shrieking Eels.”

You hit the water with a loud splash and sunk below the surface momentarily. Kicking with all your might, you managed to come back up. Your dress tangled around your legs, but you would not let it deter you. Using the boat as your guide, you started to swim towards the back of it and in the direction where the other boat was coming from. In the boat above you, you heard the scrambling of the three people you’d just escaped.

“Go in! Go after her!” Akande called out.

“Are you crazy? I’m not jumping in that water. It’s probably cold and I’m not taking any chances with the eels.” Sombra defended herself. 

“Then you go.” Akande urged Siebren.

“I only dog paddle.” 

“You two are useless!” Akande exclaimed. He ran to the edge of the boat and spotted you a ways out. “Veer left! Bring us left, Sombra.”

Your heart was hammering in your chest as you heard him shouting. You could barely feel any of your limbs and, as if to make things worse, you heard a low rumbling that turned to a high pitched whine. The sound sent shivers down your spine and, despite your soaked state, made your hair stand on end. 

The sound grew closer and you froze, treading water to keep yourself afloat. You looked around fearfully, afraid now of what was beneath the surface of the water. 

“Your highness!” Akande called out. “I would return to the boat now if I were you!”

The sound was louder and you realized you’d lost your direction. You’d never make it to that boat. 

“That sound you’re hearing, those are the Shrieking Eels.”

“They always grow loudest when they’re about to attack.” Sombra chimed in.

As if on cue of their words, two streaks of vibrant blue and a solitary streak of green passed by you. You screamed and thrashed violently, trying to move away from them. In the process, one brushed your open palm and your skin prickled from the smooth and slimy texture. 

“If you swim back now, I promise no harm will come to you.” Akande called out. “The eels will not be as forgiving, I’m afraid.

The sound they made was almost deafening now. You watched as they swam out away from you before circling back. They were moving fast and you watched as their dorsal fins raised out of the water. You tried to swim away, but knew it was useless. You couldn’t move faster then them.

Panic seized your body and your ears were ringing. The two blue eels raced past you and the green one raised its head out of the water, mouth gaping as it made that awful screeching sound. Its teeth glistened and its breath was foul. You screamed, ready for it to attack you.

Only it didn’t get a chance.

One large hand flew from above you, knocking it on the head and sending it swimming away. That same large hand grabbed hold of your arm and pulled you from the water. Another set of hands helped to haul you over the railing and back to the floor of the boat. 

Akande knelt before you, the rope you’d managed to untie back in his hands. He gripped your wrists and tied them tightly once again. “I suppose you think you’re brave.” he said. “I, for one, am not impressed. Do that again and I might let the eels take a bite of you.”

“I’d take the eels over you any day.” you shot back. “I am not easily scared by threats, you loathsome beast.”

“Watch yourself, your highness.” Akande warned. “Your life is in my hands now and you’d do well not to forget that.”

“Akande, the ship is getting closer.” Sombra said.

“Sail on.” he barked, dropping your bound hands. “It is no concern of ours.”

You shivered in your soaking garments and pulled your knees up to your chest to try and get some warmth back. Regretful of jumping into the water in the first place, you wondered if you would have even stood a chance of making it to the ship following you.

Out of nowhere, a heavy blanket dropped across your lap. You looked up and found the giant standing there. “Here.” he said. “You probably need this more than me.”

“Thank you…” you started, realizing you didn’t have the man’s name.

“Siebren.” he said.

“Thank you, Siebren.” you finished, wrapping the blanket around your shoulders. It might not help with keeping you warm as it would just soak up the water on you, but it was better than nothing. Siebren wandered off, leaving you to yourself, something for which you were thankful for.

You yawned, realizing just how tired you were. Perhaps some sleep would do you some good. Leaning back against the railing, you let your head rest against the rough wood. Above you, the sky was littered with stars and you gazed up at them. They glittered against the silky black and blue backdrop like a thousand fires lit in the distance. 

As you started to drift away, you caught sight of a single shooting star. It pulled you back momentarily from the edges of sleep. You had once wished on shooting stars, but just as your happiness had left with Gabriel, the childish belief that stars could grant wishes had also left you. In that one moment, feeling exhausted and hopeless, you allowed yourself a single wish.

_ Someone, save me. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had this bad boy sitting in my folder nearly finished and I finally got around to doing just that. Enjoy!

Your sleep had been restless and you couldn’t say sleeping on the deck of a ship was at all comfortable. When you woke, you were still slightly damp from your attempted escape and your muscles ached something fierce. The exertion of swimming in freezing water combined with your sleeping situation and utter exhaustion made you feel miserable.

The sky above you was slowly shifting from night to day. The stars were slowly fading and it was clear dawn would soon be upon you. Overhead, seagulls wheeled lazily in the ocean breeze. Their cries sounded over the creaking of the ship and the slap of waves against the side of it. 

Their presence told you one thing-- land was close by. 

Sitting up, you adjusted the soggy blanket on you and looked around. Olivia was still at the ship's wheel and you wondered if she’d been there all night. Siebren sat on the short steps closest to her, humming quietly to himself. You glanced across from you, not surprised at all to see Akande sitting in the same place he had been before you’d fallen asleep. Your movement caught his attention and he cleared his throat before speaking.

“Good morning, princess.” he greeted. “Sleep well?”

You elected not to respond. Giving him the satisfaction of any reaction would simply make him more likely to keep at it. In the state you were in currently, you really didn’t want or need something to make you feel even worse.

“Akande, the boat is even closer now.” Olivia warned.

For a moment, hope sprang up within you. If you were to put all your faith in the wish you made last night, maybe it would come true. Perhaps you could stall the ship by jumping overboard again. That would give the ship following you enough time to catch up and hopefully board this one. The only issue with that was your hands had been bound again and that same trick would not slide as easily on these three, especially Akande.

“Whoever they are, he’s too late.” Akande said, pushing himself off the deck. He pointed at what lay beyond the hull of the ship, ending the little burst of hope you’d had. “We’ve already made it. The Cliffs of Talon.”

You stared in awe at the wall of cliffs that spanned the horizon. A single pass sat in the middle of the enormous land form. Seagulls and other cliff-dwelling birds swooped from the many outcrops they’d made homes in or perched upon. The waves crashed mercilessly against the stone and rock, the water sloshing into the places it had already eroded over many years of abuse. Not even the sun poked over the top of the cliffs as it was rising and, as you sailed into its shadow, a chilled wind swept through the sails.

“Let’s hurry and get to the landing.” Akande said. “Our follower will have to sail around for hours to get to a port.”

The ship sailed into the pass and Siebren and Akande set to work. Akande went below deck and returned with a bag slung over one of his shoulders. On the other hand, Siebren collected a harness of some sort and slipped it over his enormous shoulders. You hadn’t the slightest clue what was going on and you weren’t sure you wanted to either.

Siebren proceeded to drop the sails as Olivia steered the ship carefully. The ship slowed, but not entirely and it was clear she was maneuvering towards one side of the pass. Akande came over and hauled you to your feet, the blanket Siebren had lent you falling to the deck. 

“Let’s get a move on.” he barked, pushing you towards the railing. You looked out of the boat, surprised to see a small patch of land in front of the cliff. Akande jumped down onto it and turned around to face you. “Come on, princess. We don’t have all day.” 

Behind Akande, a rope dangled down from the cliff and you looked up to see where it went. Your stomach felt heavy as you realized you couldn’t see how far up it went. It dawned on you that, by some miracle, the four of you were to climb that rope. 

For that reason, you didn’t budge. He couldn’t make you get off the ship, even if you wanted to. You were not about to--

“Siebren!”

Large hands gripped your shoulders and lifted you with ease. Siebren, having been ordered to do so, picked you up and sat you down in front of Akande on the solid ground. As Akande grabbed a hold of you, you heard the heavy thud of Siebren’s feet against the ground.

Your heart wanted to leap out of your throat as Akande slipped one of the loops on Siebren’s harness over your head. Pushing it down, the thick and sturdy strap was pulled tight just below the curve of your ass. Akande, as an extra measure, lifted your bound arms and put them around the giant’s neck. If you were to try and thwart them at all, you would cause your death as well. Self-preservation seemed more important than trying to escape in this circumstance.

When Akande and Olivia had taken their places in the other two loops, Siebren began his ascent. The moment your feet left solid ground, you screwed your eyes shut and pressed your cheek against the man’s back.

You’d heard of the strength of giants but had never anticipated seeing it in action for yourself. They were a race of people that hailed from the North and were typically peaceful people. Once, long ago, they had been a country filled with war and violence. Their prowess in battle, especially that of hand to hand combat, made them a feared enemy.

Since then, they’d left those ways behind. Some circles, out of respect for their heritage, still practiced battle tactics and the like. Now, the country was known for its advances in science and astronomy. Many giants had worked on charting the stars and even helped with the creation of the very first telescope. It was a strange thing to think a country with roots in violence could change so drastically.

Back to the situation at hand, it seemed like hours you’d been climbing, even though it probably had only been a few minutes. The rope swayed back and forth from the wind and the movement of Siebren climbing it. If you had thought the movement of the ship was nauseating, you were sorely mistaken. 

“Akande, I wouldn’t look now but we’re still being followed.” Olivia noted on your left. “He’s even gaining on us.”

“Impossible.” Akande said. You thought much the same. How had the person following you managed to maneuver their own ship and have the strength to climb the rope? It surely wasn’t possible. “Speed it up, Siebren. We can’t afford him catching up.”

“I’m going as fast as I can.” he responded through clenched teeth. Despite his strength, carrying three other bodies surely wasn’t easy. 

“You were supposed to be this colossus, this legendary thing and yet he gains.” Akande seethed. “Perhaps the giant race has truly lost touch with it’s heritage.”

“I’m carrying three other people and he’s only got himself.” he explained. “I am doing all that I can.”

“There are no excuses.” Akande reprimanded. “I will simply have to find someone else if this is going to be an issue.”

“Don’t say that, Akande.” Siebren begged, apparently hurt by his leader’s words. “Please.”

You wondered how far you were up now. It was hard to tell just by how long you’d been climbing. You’d never been a good judge of time anyways. Opening your eyes was out of the question. The sight of the ground far below would make you pass out and that thought already had you feeling woozy.

“Almost. There.” Siebren said.

“He’s right on top of us.” Olivia commented.

“Hurry!” Akande shouted.

Minutes later, Siebren’s movements slowed and then stopped entirely. Next to you, you felt Olivia moving and felt one of her legs brush your side as she pulled herself up. You let your eyes open, not forgetting you were probably hundreds of miles in the air, and were surprised to see the top of the cliff laid out in front of you.

“Your hand, Olivia.” Akande demanded on the opposite side of Siebren from you. She moved quickly, retrieving Akande and getting him set on solid ground. The two grabbed you next, one on each of your arms and your stomach dropped into the pit of your stomach as you left the safety of the harness. Thankfully, they managed to get you out and Akande set you on the ground. Siebren was left to pull himself up and he rolled onto his back as he finally did. 

Akande reached for the dagger sheathed at his hip and grabbed the rope with one hand. You watched as he set to work sawing away at the strong line, the ease with which the blade cut made you wonder how it had ever supported five people at once. Cord by cord and then thread by thread, the rope slowly started giving out. When the last cut was made, the rope went winding across the ground like a snake before disappearing over the edge of the cliff as if a rock had been tied to it.

“No.” you said quietly to yourself. 

“There.” the captain said triumphantly. He sheathed his knife and paced over to you. “Our problem is solved.”

You stared blankly towards the cliff. Maybe you could throw yourself off and end this now. Akande pulling you to your feet ended that thought quickly. 

Olivia and Siebren walked over to the ledge and you heard a gasp.

Akande joined them quickly. “What? What is it?”

“He’s still climbing.” Olivia said, looking over her shoulder at the captain. “Lost a few feet from us cutting the rope, but not much.”

“He didn’t fall!” Akande exclaimed, dragging you over to the edge to look for himself. You took a sharp breath and shut your eyes, still frightened of the heights. “Impossible. Utterly impossible.”

“What are we going to do, Akande.” Siebren asked.

“He’s obviously seen us with the princess and therefore must die.” Akande answered, stepping back from the edge. “No one must know what we have done nor discover what we plan to do.” You were thrust into Siebren’s arms and made a soft groan as you collided with him. “Siebren, carry her. Do not let her escape or you will be out of a job.”

“Yes, Akande.” he said, picking you up and throwing you over his shoulder. What you wouldn’t give to quit being thrown around like a doll. Siebren’s grip on the back of your legs was firm and you were less afraid of falling from his shoulder than you were of falling from the rope. However, as far as comfort went, his rough muscle and the hard bone beneath it digging into your abdomen was not pleasant at all. 

“Olivia, you will stay here while we continue towards the Omnica frontier.” he ordered. “Catch up when he is dead. If he falls, fine. If he manages to reach the top, use the sword. Do not fail me.”

“Yes, Akande.” Olivia answered. As Akande brushed past Siebren, who started to follow, you watched Olivia glance one more time over the ledge. She turned around and pursed her lips together. “Akande!”

“What?!” he said, stopping and turning back to face her. “Can’t you see we’re in a rush?”

“I’m going to fight him left handed.” she called out. “It will be over too fast otherwise.”

“I do not care! Have it your way, just make sure the job gets done.” he grumbled.

Olivia nodded and walked over to you and Siebren. She patted the man on the shoulder and gave him a curt nod. “Be careful, Olivia.” he said, concerned for whatever reason. “Catch up with us as soon as you can.”

“I will, Siebren.” she assured the man.

“I’m waiting! Let’s get a move on, Siebren.” Akande called out. You watched as they left Olivia behind. She paced back and forth, her rapier drawn and ready to strike down the one following them. Something told you that the man would not give up easily. If he could manage to climb the cliff, there was a good chance he could defeat the enemy that lay in waiting at the top.

“Akande, what if Olivia can’t defeat him?” Siebren questioned as the woman finally disappeared behind part of the crumbled keep they passed through. 

“It won’t come to that.” Akande explained. “She has been training for years. Her sword skill will not fail her. Now hurry up. There is no time to lose.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sword fight of the century.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a fair warning, I don't know much about sword play or fencing. I hope I do this scene justice. Enjoy!

Olivia waited as patiently as she could for the man to reach the top of the cliff, which was not very long at all. She was at the cliff’s edge not long after her leader and dear friend were out of sight.

The man was scaling the cliff, his hands and feet managing to find holds wherever he could. Nothing seemed to deter him and she found that was something she admired in this stranger. God knows she wouldn’t make it to the top in the same situation as him.

He seemed to be struggling to find his next hold when she decided to call out to him.

“Hello there.” she called out, waving a hand down at the man.

Looking up slowly, his gloved hands gripping the rocky cliff-side, he said nothing in return. The eyes behind his black mask that matched the rest of his attire stared up at her with unamusement. Without a word to the woman who was surely waiting around to kill him, he continued climbing.

Olivia huffed in annoyance, but decided to press the man further.

“Slow going?” she continued, squatting down to the ledge, her elbows resting on her knees.

There came a growl of annoyance before he answered. “Look, this is not as easy as it looks.” the man responded, his rich tenor voice slightly strained from physical exertion. Olivia grinned with mirth having gotten a response at all. “I don’t need you distracting me.”

“Oh. My bad.” she said sarcastically, standing back up. Regardless of her wish for a little bit of banter between her and her opponent, she guessed that it would be better if he reached the top so she could get a chance to fight him at all. Pacing away from the ledge, she unsheathed her sword and took a few test swings, poking at the air with the end of the steel. 

It had been too long since she’d last gotten a chance to put her skills to use. After all, she’d spent the last couple of months laying unsuccessfully low in tavern after tavern, drinking herself stupid until the authorities had to come chase her away.

They usually were not successful in their endeavors. Her ten years spent mastering the art of the blade never failed her, even while intoxicated to the point she couldn’t see straight. Those fights were what prompted her to move on to the next tavern or town to keep from causing more trouble than she had already made.

Her drinking habits were born out of boredom. After years of training, preparing for what she knew would be the most important moment of her life, she discovered that goal to be next to impossible. Devastated and with no way to put her skills to use, the bottom of a bottle became her best friend.

That same boredom is what had her walking back over to the ledge to check on the progress of the stranger in black.

She scoffed to see he hadn’t made it more than a few feet closer.

The man must have heard it, because he glanced up with a frown. “Can I help you with something?” he asked, sarcasm dripping from his words.

“I don’t suppose you could speed things up.” she pressed.

Even from where she stood, she could see his eyes roll. “If you are in such a hurry, you could lower a branch or a rope or find something useful to do.”

Olivia glanced back at the partially cut rope, still tied to the stone and it’s end frayed. There was still a good amount of it wrapped around it, likely enough to just reach her opponents hands.

She returned her gaze to the man in black. “I could do that. I’ve got some rope up here. However, I do not think you are considering the fact that I am only up here waiting around to kill you.”

“That does put a damper on things.” 

Olivia could not stand to wait much longer. She longed for the clashing of steel, for the feeling of her blade sinking into soft flesh and warm red blood blossoming from her opponent's wounds. 

“I promise I won’t kill you until you reach the top.” she offered.

Yet, it was not enough for the man.

“How comforting.” he grumbled. “You’re just going to have to wait.”

Olivia cursed under her breath. “I hate waiting.” she whined to herself. There had to be something she could say, could promise or vow, to get him to trust her. “I could give you my word as a woman.”

“A woman’s word is as good as useless.” he shot back. Sombra didn’t flinch at his words, having known some pretty dishonest women herself. “There is not a person alive I would trust to keep such a promise.”

Those words struck a chord in the sword-player's mind. 

“I swear on the grave of my father, Domingo Colomar, you will reach the top of this cliff alive.”

Seconds of silence followed her words.

“Lower the rope.”

Olivia grabbed an armful of it, unwrapping it from around the rock to lengthen it out. She quickly dragged it over and tossed it over the edge. The man reached out and grabbed it, immediately starting to climb. With every passing second, Olivia grew more and more anticipated of the fight to be had. 

When the stranger in black reached the top, she could tell he was out of breath. His climb had exerted his energy. It was her belief that a fight needed to be fair and she would honor that. So when he moved to draw his sword, she held up a hand. 

“Please. Catch your breath.” she said. “I won’t fight you like this.”

He cast her a cautious glance, but moved his hand from the hilt of his sword. With a graceful movement, he took a seat against a chunk of broken wall. “Thank you.” he said. 

Olivia watched the man pull off a black leather boot, emptying it of a few pebbles and some sand. He was dressed in black, right down to his socks. His identity remained a secret with the black cloth mask he wore. She was curious as to who the man was beneath the mask, but refrained from asking. Rather, she decided to ask something that was always on her mind when she met strangers.

“If you don’t mind me asking, you wouldn’t happen to know of a witch with a missing eye?” she questioned. The witch in question was known to offer all sorts of powers to those who sought her out. Perhaps the reason this man was able to find and follow Akande was because of her. Sombra had met others who knew of her, but knew not of where the woman came from.

“That is an odd question to ask someone, but I am afraid I do not.” the man replied. Sombra nodded, knowing it was unlikely to find someone who actually knew much about the witch. Fifteen years of searching had not gotten her any closer to finding the woman. “Do you mind me asking why the interest in a witch?”

“My father was killed by the witch.” Olivia answered earnestly. “He was a brilliant sword maker. The witch came to him, asking for a sword for the man she served. The sword had specific and precise dimensions and was to be crafted with details the woman brought herself, as she needed to be able to put a spell on the sword. Such a special sword required time to make and my father slaved a year and a half working on it before it was finished.”

Olivia drew her sword, cautiously as to not make the masked man think she was drawing it on him. She passed it over to him, her hand sliding along the silver blade as he took it from her hands. It’s hilt, encrusted with beautiful and rare gems, glittered in the morning sunlight. The thing was a piece of art just as much as it was a deadly weapon. Her enemy looked over it, turning the blade in his hand.

“It is beautiful” he commented, handing it back to her.

“When the witch came for it, she demanded the sword at one tenth of the promised price. My father refused and the witch cut his heart out as punishment, killing him in such a cruel fashion.” Olivia said. “I loved my father and naturally came after her. She froze me with a spell when I was standing before her and carved these scars into the side of my head.” Turning her head to the side, she showed off the marks she loathed yet used as fuel for the flame of vengeance burning in her. 

“How old were you?” the man asked.

“I was only ten.” she said, her voice softer. “Since that day, I vowed to get stronger and learn how to use the sword that caused my father’s untimely death so I could one day get revenge. I’ve given my life to studying the art of fencing so the next time I cross paths with the witch. When I do, I will tell her these words-- Hello. My name is Olivia Colomar. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

“You’ve done nothing but study swordplay, then?”

Olivia sat down next to the man. “Fifteen years I studied, but for the last five I started my search for the witch. All my leads have gone cold and I am no closer to avenging my father. I just took up a job with Akande to pay the bills.”  _ Or to buy some booze.  _ “There isn’t much money in the revenge business.”

"I see." The man in black stood up and paced away, a hand coming to rest on the sword sheathed at his hip. He turned around and looked at her, giving a warm smile that caught Olivia off guard. “Well I hope you find the woman someday.”

“Are you ready?” Olivia asked, getting to her feet and reaching for her sword. 

“Ready as I’ll ever be. You’ve surely given me enough of a break.” the man said, drawing his weapon and readying it, dropping into a defensive stance.

“You seem a decent man.” Olivia said, taking up her own position. She tightened her grip on her blade and gave the man a nod. “I’d hate to kill you.”

“You seem a decent woman.” the man replied. “I’d hate to die.”

The two sank back into their positions and readied for the impending duel. Neither wanted to make the first move, slowly circling one another and blades posed for defense. Seconds ticked by, the tension rising as both waited to see who would strike out first.

Olivia grew bored and lashed out, her blade swinging out like lightning but was blocked. She followed it up with another swing, which clashed off her opponents blade and she advanced a step. He retreated and dodged out of the way of her blade as she swung it again. 

The man in black inched backwards and started circling her. Olivia followed him, keeping her blade ready to defend herself. They had switched positions and her opponent made his move. He swung three times as she had, the first two bouncing off her blade as she defended herself and the third took a step backwards to dodge. 

Olivia grinned, knowing that this fight was not going to be easy. Her opponent smirked and she advanced. The two went back and forth, their blades crashing and retreating just as quickly as they’d been swung. Beneath their feet, the dust stirred as they shuffled back and forth. Their movement was like a dance in how graceful the two moved, one right after another while meeting each other blade to blade. 

Their fight migrated around the clifftop. Olivia backed the man up a rocky slope, putting him on the defense. “Your defense is wonderful. I’m surprised you’re so cautious.” she commented.

“Given the rocky terrain, I thought it wise.” he answered back, shuffling ever so slightly backwards. He was coming up on a short drop of the rock and Olivia pressed forward and prepared a brutal attack, her arm aiming to strike him. She swung only to have him knock her blade aside before jumping off of the rock. 

She had just as fancy footwork as this man. Dashing forward she leaped off the rock, tucking herself and completing a flip. She landed perfectly on the other side of the man and had her sword trained on him yet again. Whipping her hair to the side, she gave her opponent a cocky grin. “Shall we?”

Olivia continued her onslaught, knowing that the man would tire eventually. He couldn’t have been as prepared as she was, nor would he have the strength to continue fighting with just his dominant arm. Years of training had prepared her for everything and she could switch hands almost seamlessly if necessary. 

After a particularly brutal swing, she stumbled down a slight decline of the ground. This put her on defense and the man in black advanced. His blade lashed out just as mercilessly as hers, but she caught every one with hers to block it. “You’re wonderful.” she praised, having not had such an exciting fight in a long time. City guards just weren’t up to par with her skill and she rarely crossed anyone who had any skill at all. 

“Thank you. I’ve worked very hard to become so.” he answered.

Olivia glanced through her periphery, noting how close they were getting to the edge of the cliff. Her opponent was slowly forcing her towards it. If she weren’t careful, he’d have her cornered and possibly tumbling off the edge.

It was time for the ace up her sleeve. She focused back in on the fight, a smirk slowly spreading across her face.

“Why are you smiling?” the man in black questioned.

“Because I know something you don’t.” she beamed with mirth. 

“And what is it that you know?” he continued.

“I am not left handed.” With that said, she switched hands and took up the offense. Olivia had anticipated this would throw him off, but he was able to defend her blows. She followed him as he backed up a flight of steps leading to a small raised area of the crumbling fort with a crumbling stone parapet. 

The two reached the top of the steps and she started cornering him. “You’re amazing.” he complimented haughtily. 

“I ought to be after fifteen years.” 

She pressed forward as his heels hit the stone parapet and he raised an arm, catching hers as she attempted to bring her sword down on him. “There is something I ought to tell you.” he said through gritted teeth.

Olivia laughed. “What could you possibly have to tell me?”

The man in black pushed her off of him and stood up. “I am not left handed either.” He tossed his sword and caught it in his right. Giving it a quick spin, he lunged forward and forced Olivia to retreat. He was throwing swing after swing, never letting up his attack for even a second. Olivia blocked and dodged every strike. Their blades met one last time and her grip loosened for just one moment, but that was all it took for him to send her blade flying. She gaped and turned back to her opponent, expecting him to end her there.

He motioned for her to jump down off of the raised area to fetch it. She wasted no second and did just that, stumbling slightly as she landed. Picking her sword up, she turned back around.

The man in black flicked his sword and she watched it spin in the air before stabbing into a patch of grass. With a running start, the man jumped into the air. He twisted around and managed a flip before landing. His face was turned down and he slowly stood from the kneeling position he’d ended his trick in. As he grabbed the hilt of his sword, pulling it from the ground, he looked up at Olivia with a proud smile.

“Who are you?” she asked, mesmerized by this mystery of a man.

“No one of consequence.” he said, shrugging. 

“I must know.” she continued. How could there be someone just as skilled as she was, if not more? He was giving her the fight of her life and she was now starting to doubt her ability to win it. She’d given her name and it was time he did the same.

“Get used to disappointment.” 

Olivia shook her head and started the fight up again. The two moved around the top of the cliff, dodging in between stone archways and around piles of the crumbled fort walls. It was getting hotter as the sun rose above them and sweat dripped down her face, soaking her clothes. Her muscles burned and her chest heaved from the physical exertion of their fight. If she didn’t gain the upper hand soon, she might not win.

“You’re getting tired.” the man in black commented. “I’ll give you a chance to surrender now.”

“Never!” she shouted. She tried putting every ounce of energy into her next round of attacks, but none of them were enough to break through her opponent’s defense. He took his chance and did the same, forcing Olivia to retreat and use what was left of her strength to defend herself. 

She stumbled once and that was all it took for the man in black to overpower her. His blade lashed out, the metal glancing past her left ear. Her attention flew to it and her opponent knocked her blade to the ground and kicked it aside. Olivia swore and dropped to her knees, panting to catch her breath. Her body shook, knowing that this would be the end. 

“Please. Kill me quickly.” she begged, swallowing the lump of nervousness that had risen to her throat. “Don’t draw it out, I beg of you.”  _ I will see you soon, father _ \-- she thought to herself.

The man in black circled around her, his blade dragging a circle in the dirt around her. “I would sooner destroy a stained glass window than an artist like yourself.” he said, coming to stop behind her. A hand tightened on her shoulder and she flinched. The man leaned down, his words thundering in her ears. “However, since I can’t have you following me…” 

Before Olivia knew what was happening, the hilt of his blade crashed against the back of her head and the world went black.


	6. Chapter 6

Akande watched as the man in black came running over a hill in the distance. It seemed Olivia had been unable to defeat him with her hard-trained skill with a sword. This man really was something, an issue Akande had not anticipated. This job he was given had to be seen through to the end, with or without his accomplices. 

Turning back to Siebren, he barked out his orders. “Olivia was bested, but we must press forward.” The giant frowned at that, but Akande paid him no mind. Holding out his hands towards the princess, he waited until Siebren passed her to him. “You are the next line of defense. I will take the princess and you will wait here for him.” 

“What will I do?” the large man questioned. He knew he would have to dispose of the threat to their mission, but just how to accomplish that was beyond his thinking. Siebren hardly wanted to bring harm to anyone unless they deserved it. For all he knew, the masked stranger pursuing them was just coming to save the princess. That act hardly justified stopping him or ending his life entirely.

“In a few moments, the man in black will come racing around the bend. See those rocks there?” Akande started, his voice harsh and dripping with his annoyance. “Take one and, the minute his head is in view, crush it with the rock. Do I make myself clear?”

“Y-yes, Akande.” Siebren responded meekly. In the back of his head, he knew that Akande’s orders were not going to give his opponent a chance to fight back. That thought made Siebren uncomfortable, but he dare not say otherwise in fear of angering Akande. 

“Do not fail me. Catch up when you are finished.” With that, Akande took off, dragging you along behind him.

When the two were out of sight, Siebren picked up the rock and tossed it in his hand. For any other man, such an action would take great strength. Throwing something as hefty as that would definitely do some harm to whoever it was aimed at. Just to see what he could manage, Siebren drew back his arm and hurled the rock at the large boulder stuck in the side of the hill. It shattered into pieces against the rough black surface. 

“Not a chance, indeed.” Siebren hummed to himself.

Heeding Akande’s orders, Siebren grabbed another rock and readied himself to fight the man in black. The hill they’d stopped to wait for Olivia was covered with large boulders and even a large outcropping of the same type of rock jutting out of the earth. Though he hadn’t voiced it to Akande, Siebren knew the fort had to have been made from this stone.The smooth lines from the outcropping were evident of that fact. It was a sturdy enough material, not to mention how conveniently close it was to the fort at the Cliffs of Talon. It had remained untouched and unused since the building of the fort it seemed.

He would have told Olivia that. She might have commended him on his knowledge-- Akande surely wouldn’t. No, he would rather belittle his underlings than be on the same level as them. Siebren had known many men like Akande and they’d all treated him the same way. He did not know if it was because he was this towering wall of muscle and sinew or if it was because of how soft-spoken he was. 

Olivia was the only one who had ever treated him like an equal. Siebren believed that she admired him for his great knowledge. When they’d been introduced, she’d chipperly acknowledged him without hesitation. Siebren had found himself shocked at that moment. After years of people avoiding him for his sheer size and many more shunned by his own people, he could not have seen someone so genuine and unafraid of him. It warmed his large heart and he allowed her a place in it-- his very first and only friend. 

His fingers clutched the rock in his hand tighter thinking of her. If she had been defeated, he hoped that Olivia would be strong enough to meet up with them after seeing to her wounds. Siebren would not let himself think of her as dead, though that is what Akande had said with few words. Siebren knew she was stronger than that and that, by some miracle, Olivia would be okay. When he was done with the man in black, he would go back to the cliff and find her even though Akande would be expecting him. 

Just a few minutes later, per Akande’s words, the man in black came around the bend, slowing his gait with the rocky incline ahead of him. He did not get further than a few steps before a rock hurtled by him and smashed into a half-buried boulder. Lifting his arm, he blocked his eyes from the explosion of bits of rock and dust. He was quick to look up in case another was being launched. His eyes were surprised to find a giant staring at him, another large rock between his enormous hands.

Drawing his sword, he pointed it at his enemy and readied to attack if needed.

“You missed.” the man in black commented.

“I did that on purpose.” was the answer he received. The soft yet booming voice that carried that answer took him aback for his opponent being such a large man. Siebren could not bring himself to harm this man in such an unsportsmanlike manner. If he were in the same position, he knew he would want a fair and honorable fight. “I could have hit you had I desired that.”

“I believe you.” The strength at which it had been thrown would have killed him instantly. Feeling thankful this giant had not intended to kill him, he did not waste much time thinking that would last. “So what happens now?”

“We face each other like men-- sportsmanlike.” the giant said. He took a few lumbering steps towards the man in black, tossing the rock back and forth between his hands. Hand-to-hand combat was something he was comfortable with. He usually fought groups of five to six men at a time, but it wouldn’t be much more difficult to fight just one.“No weapons. No tricks. It will be skill against skill alone.”

“So, I put down my sword, you put down your rock, and we fight like civilized people?” the masked stranger questioned. 

“I could kill you now.” Siebren teased, brandishing the rock. 

The man in black bent down slowly, dropping his blade in the grass. Before he looked up, he heard the thud of the rock the giant held hitting the ground. “I somehow think you have the odds in your favor at hand fighting. However, I will humor you since you chose not to kill me.”

“I can’t help being the biggest and the strongest.” Siebren said. He didn’t even exercise. It was in his blood to be such a hulking figure, strong enough to crush men with his hands. Dropping his stance slightly, Siebren motioned for his opponent to attack. “We begin now.”

The man in black rushed him, his body slamming into the giant’s and stopping there. He wrapped his arms around his torso, trying to get leverage and failing miserably. Letting go, he stepped back quickly to avoid any attempted swings. When the giant didn’t swing, he made another pass and repeated the same motions.

Stepping back again, he looked up into the eyes of his opponent. His lips pulled back into a snarl and he gave a frustrated look to the giant. “Are you toying with me?”

“I just want you to feel you are doing good. I hate for people to die embarrassed.” he replied calmly. He stepped forward and swung his right hand, only to miss as the man in black ducked and rolled between his legs. Siebren was quick to turn around and not leave himself open from behind. “You’re fast.”

The man in black shrugged as he got to his feet. “A good thing too.” 

Siebren advanced on him, his arms poised to strike. Siebren threw a left swing, followed by a right. Both attempts to strike the man in black failed as he quickly ducked out of the way of his slow yet strong fists. Siebren glanced behind his opponent, noting that he was backing him towards one of the large boulders. If he could corner him, he could take the upper hand. 

“Why do you wear a mask? Were you burned by acid or something?” he questioned.

“No, I just find it terribly comfortable.” was the response he was given. “I think everyone will be wearing them in the future.”

The man in black kept retreating slowly, matching the advancing steps of the giant, who took a few more swings that did not land. He realized what was happening, that he was being cornered. There was not a second to waste if he were to get out of the rough spot the giant was putting him in. Out of his periphery, he spotted a sloped boulder low enough to jump onto. As the giant pressed forward again, he leapt to it and then jumped up onto the giant’s back, wrapping his arms around his thick neck and squeezed.

Siebren brought his hands up to hold the arms of the man in black, failing to tear them from his neck. Despite the man’s size, he was stronger than the giant had anticipated. Backing up towards the boulder, he aimed to slam his opponent into it to get him to release his choke hold. “I seem to have underestimated my ability to fight just one person.” he choked out. 

“Why is that?” the man in black shot back. Siebren shoved himself backwards and felt him sandwich his opponent between himself and the rock. It knocked the air from the man in black’s lungs and he wheezed, but did not loosen his hold. He tried again to knock the man from his back, but could not shake him. 

His head was getting light from the oxygen being kept from his lungs. Spots started to appear in his vision. “I am not used to fighting just one man.” he answered, stumbling forward. If he fell now, it would be all over. “I used to fight gangs, groups of thugs, for local charities. That kind of thing.” Siebren fought to stand on his feet, but the longer his throat was constricted, the weaker he felt. Approaching another boulder, he turned and slammed the man in black against it. 

Once.

“Why should that make such a --”

Twice.

The man in black groaned, his grip loosening momentarily. “--difference?”

Siebren stumbled forward, knowing he did not have much longer. “You use different tactics. Against multiple men.” His knees gave out on him and he dropped to them. “Than when you’re fighting.” The man in black squeezed tighter and tighter, now having the leverage of standing on solid ground. At the edges of the giant’s vision, shadows were closing in. “Just one.” he managed to choke out before unconsciousness claimed him. The last thing he felt was his body slamming into the ground and the man in black falling atop him as he did.

**…**

Rolling the body of the giant over, he pressed the side of his head against his enormous chest. The pumping of his heart echoed in his ear and he knew that his enemy would be out unconscious for some time. Sitting up, he patted the giant's chest in an almost comforting fashion. “I do not envy the headache you will have when you wake. Until then, rest well and dream of the stars.”

Rising from the ground, he ran over and retrieved his sword. Leaving it in his hand, he studied the ground until he found their footprints in the grass. The princess and her kidnapper could not have gotten much farther. Having managed to keep caught up with them despite the encounters with the woman with great skill in sword play and the giant, he felt certain of that fact. 

Not waiting a moment more, he took off after them. Very soon he would find them and, when he did, he would make her kidnapper pay. If the princess were dead, then he would make the man suffer. That thought alone, of the danger you were in, drove him to move faster.

_ Soon. Soon, I will save you. _


	7. Chapter 7

“We’ll rest here.” Akande said after coming to the top of a hill surrounded by a circle of trees. A stump, which had once been an enormous tree, and two round flat stones sat in the middle of the area. It looked, to you, almost like a table with two seats. Your captor walked you over to the closest tree to the stump and tied you up there. As he wrapped the rope tightly around your wrists and around the rough bark of the tree, you whimpered. You were practically hugging the towering oak tree. “This will all be over soon, princess. No need to get upset.” he said, laughing as he walked away.

You leaned against the tree, resting your weight against it. Your feet ached from all the walking and running that was mostly you being dragged along at your kidnapper’s pace. One spot on both your heels had blisters forming from your riding boots which still had not been broken in entirely. Your wrists were also scuffed and close to being rubbed raw from the coarse rope that had been kept tied around them. 

As if that wasn’t enough, your stomach grumbled in protest from having not eaten in far too long. 

“Hungry?” Akande called out. You glanced at the man over your shoulder, as it was too hard to look at him otherwise. He was sitting at the stump, which had a spread of various foods-- a loaf of bread, some cheese, a pair of apples, and even a newly opened bottle of wine. The pack he’d been carrying must have been where he’d kept this all. You watched as he poured himself a cup of the wine, the glorious red liquid glimmering in the sunshine as it trickled out of the bottle. He glanced at you and raised his cup before taking a sip, exaggerating his facial expressions as he savored the taste. “If you promise to behave, I might share some of this with you. Would you like that, princess? I couldn’t deny you a last meal and this wine is divine.”

“I won’t accept anything from you.” you bit at him sharply. “Besides, my fiance can’t be too far behind. He will find us and you will die in far worse a manner than whatever it is you have planned to end my life.”

The man chuckled, swirling the wine in his cup before taking another sip. “I don’t believe a word of it, princess.” he taunted. “Not a single word.”

You didn’t care if he didn’t believe you. You couldn’t care less if he thought he was safe from the wrath of Prince Morrison. Turning back around, you leaned your forehead against the tree you were bound to. The thought that someone was coming for you comforted you, even if it wasn’t your future husband. Maybe you were giving yourself false hope of being rescued, but it was better than feeling miserable. You’d given up on that a while ago. This man and his ragtag crew could do what they wanted to you, but you wouldn’t let yourself feel the way they wanted you to. 

“Come now, princess.” Akande tutted. He appeared next to you, a slice of the bread waving in your face. It smelled heavenly. “You can’t tell me you don’t want any of this food. Let me share it with you.”

You turned to him and spat at his feet. “I would rather die than accept anything you have to offer me, food or otherwise.” 

“That can be arranged.” he said with a smirk. He took a bite out of the bread, chewing on it obnoxiously. “That is a little later in the schedule of things, I’m afraid. You’ll just have to wait until then.” He disappeared around the tree to walk to the other side of you, your eyes following him warily. “You know, for a princess, you have some awful manners.”

“Piss off.” you growled through gritted teeth. What kind of man taunted people who were helpless? He was as loathsome as he was cowardly and you wanted him to choke on his food. “Coward.” you threw at him, venom dripping in each syllable of the word.

“You better watch that mouth of yours.” he snapped, looking as if he had been bothered by your insult. “It will get you into trouble one of these days.”

A branch snapped off somewhere behind you and Akande froze. You couldn’t turn your head far enough to see where the sound had come from, nor whether it was someone coming to save you. Akande, unsheathed the knife holstered on his hip and grabbed you, pressing the knife to your neck. A gasp passed your lips at the touch of the sharpened and cool metal, but you dare not make much more sound for fear of him slitting your throat then and there. 

“Come out from behind there.” Akande called out. “Or I will end the princess’s life here and now.”

_ Like hell you will _ \-- you thought to yourself.

“There we go.” Akande said triumphantly. You watched the corners of his lips draw up into a mischievous grin. “It looks like it is down to the two of us.” He cocked his head and then lifted the arm holding the knife to your throat, the metal scraping against your soft skin without breaking it. You gasped again, wishing you could pull away from the dangerous weapon. “By all means, continue forward and I will make you wish you hadn’t. I don’t intend to spill the princess’s blood right here, but will if I must.”

“Let me explain.” the voice, that of a man’s, replied. He sounded almost pleading. You didn’t recognize the voice, but at least he was here. At least someone else would know what had happened to you and have a chance at saving your life.

“There is nothing to explain.” Akande said. “You’re trying to kidnap what I’ve rightfully stolen.”

“Perhaps an arrangement can be made.” the man offered.

“There will be no arrangement--” Akande said, his eyes narrowing at the intruder you could not see yourself. “--and your killing her.”

“Well, if no arrangement can be made, then it seems we are at an impasse.” 

“It would seem so.” Akande agreed. “I have the upper hand here. It was wise of me to stay prepared in case you reached us.”

“So you think yourself wise?” the intruder questioned. “I can’t see it.”

“I’m the brains of this whole operation.” Akande replied. The man was overconfident in his planning at best. You found it laughable that he sounded so prideful about being the leader and that he believed himself to be wise. “I am a master strategist, believe it or not.”

“I see.” A few seconds of silence followed. “Then I propose a duel.”

Akande laughed. “I am not so stupid as to fight you. While I may be able to defend myself, I won’t go running into a battle I can’t win.”

“Forgive me-- I challenge you to a duel of wits.” the intruder elaborated.

“For the princess?” You watched as Akande’s eyes widened. “To the death?”

“But of course.” the intruder said, his voice feigning insult.

“I accept.”

“Pour the wine.” 

The knife was pulled away and you felt your whole body relax. You slumped against the tree, grateful that you hadn’t met your death. Glancing over your shoulder, you found Akande and the man who had been following you. He wore all black and a sword was sheathed at his hip. There was little else you could tell about him, as he was sitting with his back to you. He reached into his pocket and retrieved what looked to be some sort of vial. 

“What is that?” Akande questioned.

“Iocaine powder.” was his response. The man held it up and uncorked it, pouring some of the substance onto his gloved hands. Akande poured a second glass of the wine and corked the bottle, setting it aside. “It is one of the deadlier poisons known to man. It is odorless and tasteless, but can kill a man within seconds after ingestion.” The man reached for the cups and grabbed the glasses. He bent over, hiding the cups from anyone but himself. Sitting up, he set a glass in front of him and the other in front of your captor. The empty vial was set on the table between them. “Where is the poison? The battle of wits begins. It ends when you decide and we both drink and find out who wins and who dies.” 

“This will be far too easy.” Akande hummed. “All I have to do is divine what I know of you.”

“What do you know of me?” the stranger in black pushed. He stretched and rested his arms behind his neck confidently. “Surely you can’t have gathered much.”

“Well, a clever man would have put the poison into his own goblet knowing that his opponent, if he were a great fool, would not take the glass in front of him. I am clearly not a fool and therefore cannot take the wine in front of you.” Akande monologued. “You must have known this so I cannot take the wine in front of me.”

“You’ve made your decision then?” the masked stranger tested, leaning forward.

“Not remotely. Iocaine comes from Australia and, as everyone knows, it is a country of dangerous criminals. Criminals are used to people not trusting them, as you are not trusted by me, so I cannot choose the wine in front of you.” Akande’s blathering was tiresome, but amusing nonetheless. It was a miracle this man had not ran his sword through him already. 

“Please, sir. This man is a criminal. Help me.” you called out, struggling against your bonds. The man didn’t even turn to look at you, but Akande shot you a challenging glare. “I can pay you well, my fiance can pay you well, if you just untie me and kill this man.”

“Enough out of you.” he barked. You huffed in annoyance, but kept quiet. Why was this man not willing to help you? “Now, where was I?”

“Australia.” the masked stranger answered.

“Yes. Australia.” Akande agreed. “You had to have known I would know the poison’s origin so I clearly cannot take the wine in front of me.”

The masked stranger unfolded his hands and leaned forward. “You’re just stalling now.” he accused. “Pick your glass.”

“You’d like to think that wouldn’t you.” Akande growled. Thrusting a pointed finger at his opponent, he drew back his teeth and spoke his mind. “You beat my giant so you must be exceptionally strong. It is likely you put the poison in your own cup, trusting your strength to save you. I can’t take your glass knowing that, however you also bested my swords-woman. That means you have studied and, in studying, you would have learned that man is mortal-- so you would have put the poison as far away from yourself as possible. I cannot take the wine in front of me for that reason as well.”

“You’re trying to trick me into giving away something.” the man in black said. “It won’t work.”

Akande laughed. “It has worked. You’ve given everything away. I know where the poison is.”

“Then make your choice!” the man in black shouted.

“I will and I choose--” Akande started, but cut his sentence short. His hand shot out, pointing past the man in black towards nothing. “What in the world can that be?”

The man in black turned instinctively, glancing around where Akande had directed him. You watched Akande as he switched glasses behind his back.  _ What a rat! _ The man thought himself cunning, but you knew better.

“There was nothing there.” the man in black said, his voice tinged with unamusement. 

“I could have sworn I saw something.” Akande said, his face showing no emotion whatsoever. “No matter. Let us drink-- you from your glass and me from mine.”

“Don’t do it!” you cried out. 

“Quiet you!” Akande shouted back, grabbing the glass in front of him. He raised it towards his opponent. “Shall we?”

The man in black grabbed his own glass and raised it as well. “Let’s drink.” he said. Without a further hesitation, the two brought their goblets to their lips. Seconds passed as they downed their wine and you held your breath, knowing it would be your savior dropping dead any minute. Akande finished his glass first and slammed it on the cloth covered stump in front of him. The man in black finished his just after, setting the goblet down gently. “You guessed wrong.”

“You only think I did.” Akande shot back with a chuckle. “I switched the cups while your back was turned. You are a fool for thinking you could ever outsmart me. Now, the princess and I will be on our way while you die here, pirate scum. Next time you think about crossing paths with a master strategist… well, you won’t get the chance to!” Akande laughed, holding his stomach. Any minute you expected the man in black to drop dead, to empty the contents of his stomach and fall over and onto the ground. 

However, it seemed that wouldn’t happen soon. The man in black stood, brushing his arm across the stump and sending everything on it flying. He laughed back at Akande, staring down at the man as he couldn’t gather control of himself. The two looked insane, or drunk, laughing like two idiots at the other. Maybe there was a drop left in one of those goblets you could end your misery with, but they had been sent flying and you remained tied to the tree.

The man in black leaned down and grabbed Akande by the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up. Akande didn’t stop laughing as he was brought face to face with his opponent, who leaned in very close. “Listen here, you think you are so wise but you are not. The poison is already running its course through your body and you have little time left in this world.” Akande’s eyes grew wide and his mouth hung open, a choking sound cutting off his laughter. A gloved hand grabbed his chin roughly and shook his lolling head. “I hold no sympathy for men like you. You will rot in hell for what you have done and I will not lose an ounce of sleep over it.”

“But… how?” Akande choked, his body shaking in the grip of the man in black. “The… goblets…”

The man in black dropped the man as he began to convulse and writhe on the ground. Mucus poured from the man’s nose and spittle from the corners of his mouth. He looked like a rabid animal, but you knew it was the poison he had just drank. A black leather boot slammed into the man’s gut, making Akande curl in on himself. The man in black towered over him, staring down at the dying man who had kidnapped you. He spit at him, hitting him in the face. “I poisoned both the cups.”

Akande choked again, but could not form words. His body slowed it’s uncontrollable movements until it became entirely still. He was dead. By some miracle, his opponent had been strong enough to withstand the poison and wise enough to poison both the cups. You let out a soft sob, knowing that you were safe now from Akande and his plans to kill you. Tears formed in your eyes and you let them fall, grateful for this stranger’s cunning and bravery.

Footsteps drew your attention upwards and the man in black stood behind you. Deep brown eyes peered down at you through the cut holes in the piece of cloth he wore as a mask. He did not smile nor make any expression of emotion as he bent down and cut your bonds, but you studied his face regardless. Something about him seemed so familiar. Perhaps you were simply intrigued by his roguish looks-- the patch of black facial hair at his chin and the thin mustache he sported, paired nicely with the square jawline. His nose was also quite handsome, though mostly covered by the mask.

He hauled you up with ease, his hand tight on your wrist. “Thank you.” you breathed, unsure of what else to say. When you moved to step away from him, he held tight. Your heart jumped to your throat and you knew immediately that something was off. “You can let me go now.”

A yank was all it took for the man in black to send you tumbling into his broad chest, his grip on your wrist remaining. You caught yourself with your other hand, fingers splayed out over the loose black shirt covering his chest. Your eyes flicked up and found his staring down at you with a venomous look. 

“I don’t think so, princesa.” 


	8. Chapter 8

_“Thank you.” you breathed, unsure of what else to say. When you moved to step away from him, he held tight. Your heart jumped to your throat and you knew immediately that something was off. “You can let me go now.”_

_A yank was all it took for the man in black to send you tumbling into his broad chest, his grip on your wrist remaining. You caught yourself with your other hand, fingers splayed out over the loose black shirt covering his chest. Your eyes flicked up and found his staring down at you with a venomous look._

_“I don’t think so, princesa.”_

“I thought you were rescuing me.” you breathed in disbelief as you backed away from him as far as you could. His hand remained firm on your wrist as you came to that realization that he was not here to save you. You had known that it was possible this man was only another danger to your life, but you had been blinded by the hope that he would be your saving grace. 

“Not quite, princess.” he responded coldly, his words and tone like salt in an open wound. Those eyes of his bore into your own, intense and full of a resent you couldn’t possibly know the reason for. He stepped forward, closing the distance between you two. The second leather clad hand of his gripped your chin, forcing you to keep looking him in his eyes. “You will follow my orders or suffer the consequences. Am I understood?”

“Who are you?” you questioned. “What do you want with me?”

“I am no one to be trifled with, princess.” he snapped, giving your head a shake. “Any harm that befalls you will be your fault and yours alone unless you do as I say. Do you understand?”

“I understand.” you spat back at him.

“Good.” The man in black let go of your chin and pulled you along behind him, headed away from the hill and the direction from which he had come. 

He set a brutal pace, one even more so than Akande had dragged you at. Your legs were already fatigued and your boot-blistered feet screamed at you with every step. As the two of you ran, you couldn’t even find it in yourself to admire the changing scenery. Your stomach was twisted with worry at what awaited you at the mercy of this masked marauder. Hunger didn’t quite help that situation much either, but you dare not ask for food nor to stop and rest.

After what felt like hours of running, the two of you ended up at the top of a steep and rocky bluff that stretched on and on. At long last, he slowed and eventually stopped entirely. You stumbled behind him and almost ran into the back of him, but he quickly pulled you to the side. His hand guided you around him and let go, allowing you to stumble into a low and flat rock. Your palms scraped against it as you caught yourself, the rough surface biting at your skin. Gasping for air, you stared down at the rock and wondered if this was some kind of torture. You glanced up at the man in black, who was not showing any sign of exhaustion like you were.

“Rest. Catch your breath.” he ordered as he paced away from you.

“If you release me, you will get anything you ask for. I promise you.” you huffed, finding speaking just as difficult as running had been. Your throat burned and your chest hurt, but you had to figure out some way to save yourself.

Out of anything this stranger could have done, you could not have anticipated the choked laugh he made. Turning back to face you, he shook his head with a cocky grin. “What good is that, the promise of a woman? You are very funny, princesa.”

You frowned and looked on defiantly. “I was giving you a chance, but it doesn't matter. Wherever you take me, wherever you go, there is no hunter greater than Prince Morrison. He can track a falcon on a cloudy day and he will find you.”

Something you said seemed to chink a bit of the cold and unfeeling armor from your second captor. He clenched his jaw so slightly that, had you not been aiming to get him to let down his guard in some manner, you might have missed it. “You think your dearest love will save you?” he asked.

You found yourself confused at his sudden harshness towards the prince. It seemed he held a distaste for your future husband, though you couldn’t think of a reason why he would. You had plenty to be distasteful about regarding your entwined fates, but not a complete and total stranger. “I never said he was my dearest love. Nonetheless, he will save me. That I do know for sure.”

The man in black cocked his head, pacing back over to stand closer to you. “So you admit to not loving your fiance?”

“He knows I do not love him.” you said, every word of it true. 

Meeting the prince had been pure coincidence. He had been passing by your farm, on his way to hunt, when he had spotted you in the garden. The man had told you himself he was taken aback by your beauty, regaling how he had nearly fallen from his horse at the sight of you. Prince Morrison saw to it that you were introduced to him during the next festival his father hosted for the kingdom. That was when he made you the offer to be his bride and, in return, not want for anything. 

Such an offer hardly came to women of your stature and you had nothing left to lose-- the prospect of being able to help your family’s farm also made the match a very viable option. Having fallen on hard times, your family would be penniless in a matter of months. The summer’s drought was bad and much of the crops had withered away to nothing. In the fall, the profits from the harvest would not amount to enough for even a beggar to thrive on. Your course seemed clear for that reason and that reason alone-- you would accept his proposal.

However, before you agreed, you made it known to the prince that you could not love him. You voiced that you wouldn’t say why, but promised that should he wish to still take you as his wife, you would be a good spouse and support him as his queen upon his coronation. Much to your surprise, he told you that it did not matter to him. He was happy to have you at all, be it with love in your heart or not. 

You would be able to keep your promise to Gabriel as well as help your family. It would be a noble sacrifice, one you were happy to make at the time. That sealed the deal and you accepted the offer to be his bride.

It became clear, after spending more time with the prince when you moved to the castle from your family’s farm, that he had changed his mind since his acceptance of your inability to love him. He vied for your affections every chance he got, showering you with gifts and trinkets that you cared naught for. Love letters, signed with hearts and all, were left unread on your vanity. Beautiful silk ribbons were tucked away into its drawers, never to be worn in your hair or around your neck. The prince had even presented you with a lovely Arabian stallion, but you had not even set foot in its stable once.

The longer you stayed at the castle, the more Prince Morrison became obsessed with seeing you thoroughly enjoy any of his gifts. That was when you began regretting your decision. You should have foreseen that the prince would want more than just your hand in marriage. Your carelessness had sealed your fate to his and you despised yourself for it every day since you’d come to that realization.

The man in black scoffed, bringing you back from the painful thoughts of your impending marriage to the prince. “Incapable of love, you mean.”

His words slapped you across the face, shocking you and angering you all at the same time. It was as if he had reached into your chest and tore at the scraps that were left of your heart after the loss of Gabriel. Rising to your feet, you stood toe to toe with the man and looked him dead in the eyes. “I have loved more deeply than a killer like yourself could ever dream.” you seethed.

Out of the corner of your eyes, you saw him lift his hand to strike you and you instinctively flinched away. That strike never came and you opened your eyes to see him lowering his hand as he glowered at you. “That was a warning, princess.” he admonished. “The next time, my hand flies on its own. Where I come from, there are penalties when a woman lies.”

You pursed your lips tightly, biting your cheek to keep yourself from saying something to further anger your captor. Your words were the truth. This insufferable man could not grasp that. There was no need for you to lie to him. He would do what he pleases whether you were honest or not. 

“Since it seems you have rested enough, we should continue on our way.” the man in black said, reaching for your arm. His gloved hand closed around it, though you tried jerking away from him. Sliding down your arm, the hand quickly took hold of your wrist and he shook his head at you for trying to fight him. “None of that, now. Come along.”

You took in one last decent breath before sprinting off behind your captor. With each passing minute, you knew you were drawing closer to something you couldn’t escape-- be it destiny or death, you knew you would face it head on. If it came to it, you would fight for your life or to escape whatever the man in black had planned for you. Today would not be the day you would be reunited with your Gabriel in the afterlife and you prayed that he would give you strength to make sure of that.

**…**

Prince Morrison was furious when a guard brought news of his beloved’s abandoned horse outside the castle gates, his betrothed nowhere in sight and the torn crest of an Omnica soldier’s uniform dangling from the empty saddle. For years now, he had been trying to accomplish a treaty with the country of mythical and mechanical beings across the sea. With such a lofty goal in sight despite some tensions between his upcoming coronation and their unending demands, this was the ultimate disrespect and, perhaps, the permanent wedge between reaching any agreement. What they aimed for in kidnapping his bride-to-be, he had not the slightest clue, but he vowed he would get to the end of this debauchery and save his princess.

After following her horse's tracks to an unused fisherman’s port in the woods, it was clear they had taken her across the sea between them-- and, in saying ‘they’, he meant the criminals that had taken his bride. Along with the tracks from her mare and a set of her own footprints in the sun-dried muddy ground from the morning dew, there were three other sets of footprints. None of them were omnics, to his surprise. From the boot print and the pressure of their steps in the ground, he easily identified basic knowledge from the tracks. Two of the sets of tracks belonged to men, with one of the two belonging to a giant. The other set was clearly a woman, her tracks smaller and the boot print different.

What these three aimed for in taking his beloved to Omnica was evident-- the treaty was not something they wished for. However, that meant they knew of recent negotiations with the country, which was not public information. Someone in his counsel was leaking information to groups outside the palace without his consent. This, in light of his upcoming coronation, was not happy nor welcomed news. It would be wise for him to find the snake in the grass and cut its head off before any further harm could be done.

The more pressing matter at hand was saving his bride, which was where he found himself currently with a handful of his royal guards and his most trusted ally and advisor at his side.

They rode all night until they came to the Cliffs of Talon by following the coast. It was there that he discovered those same footprints, as well as yours. Just to add to the mystery, another set of footprints belonging to a man was discovered. 

Morrison traced the track with his gloved hand, trying to decipher what this could mean. Was this man part of the criminal group or was he simply following them? It was likely he had witnessed your kidnapping and followed to help, but that was not something he could tell by just his tracks. 

As if answering his query, a member of his guard called for him. Rising from the ground, he paced over to where the soldier stood, staring at the ground ahead of him. 

This clifftop had once been home to Omnica’s greatest fortress, but that was hundreds of years ago and many years of war had seen its destruction. The sandy dirt that had gathered here and helped to wear the stone covered this entire area and it held the tracks of those who had been here before. 

“Amazing.” the prince breathed, looking around the entirety of the ruined fortress. The tracks of the woman and the fourth set of footprints were everywhere. Some of the strides made it clear they had drawn blades and fought. “A great duel has been had.” he noted, walking around as he studied them. “Both of them had to be masters for them to cover such a large space.” 

The prince’s men followed him as he followed the great fight that ensued merely a few hours ago. He had yet to find blood, evidence of the brutality of their steel-- evidence of who had won. It was not until he came to the imprint of a body on the ground that he discovered blood had not been drawn at all. “The loser was knocked unconscious, but ran off that way. She is of no concern of ours, but the winner ran off after the other two and the princess.”

“Your highness.” his advisor’s voice called from behind him. Turning, he looked up at the wise healer and scientist who he had been happy to add to his counsel. Fiery red hair blazed in the morning sun, cropped short and messy from the rigorous ride here. Prince Morrison raised a hand to block the rising sun, allowing more of his advisor to be seen. The dark green ensemble of breeches and a tunic with Celtic knots embroidered in silver thread stood out against the dun coat of the gelding. Hopping down from the steed, his advisor straightened her tunic and cleared her throat. Her single eye shot to his eyes, conveying her seriousness over the matter at hand. “I take it you have found which way the princess went.”

“Yes, O’ Deorain.” the prince answered, reaching for the reins of his steed from the guard who had brought it over for him. Hoisting himself up with ease, he settled into the saddle.. “We ride this way, towards Omnica.”

“Are you certain this isn’t a trap, sire?” Moira pressed, her words cautioning him of what may happen if they weren’t careful. They were on Omnica land and, should they be discovered, there was no saying what could happen to the negotiations for a treaty. “With your coronation a mere month away, I fear this could be an attempt on your life.”

“I am aware this could be a trap, but my coronation cannot happen if I do not marry.” the prince responded calmly. “We shall be careful, as I have previously said, and not cause trouble while we are here. The princess is all that matters.” With a slight press of his heels to the sides of his horse, Prince Morrison rode off to follow the tracks.

“Of course.” Moira agreed with a scowl towards the prince as he slowed in the distance to wait for her and the guard. Mounting her horse, she gave a sharp kick to its sides and led the guard after their prince.


	9. Chapter 9

Prince Morrison and his entourage arrived at last at the spot where all but two tracks of footprints ended. They had passed where a giant had been bested a short while ago, only stopping momentarily to make sure they were still following the trail of footprints. Quickly, they moved along until they arrived here in the thicket of woods where the last of the original kidnappers lay dead. 

Moira had hopped off her horse and looked at the man, examining him to help determine how he had died. Whilst she checked him over, Prince Morrison had his men gather the scattered meal this man had been enjoying when the owner of the fourth set of tracks had come across him. Jack found his blood boiling at the thought of a criminal managing to find the time to enjoy something even akin to a meal. He was happy the man was dead, but they still had to catch the fourth and save his bride.

“Your highness,” Moira said from where she knelt next to the lifeless body, “Other than the few fractured ribs, it seems he died from poison. Have your men found anything of interest?”

“As of yet, no.” he responded. Walking over, he looked down at the criminal with disgust. His face was smeared with mucus and saliva, mouth gaping and his eyes wide open. “What kind of poison could have killed him so quickly?”

“There are only a handful of poisons that could cause such a reaction, but it is hard to tell which.” Moira explained, rising from the ground and brushing dirt and debris from her knees. The prince’s eyes followed her as she returned to her full height, not quite a head taller than him but taller still. She turned to him and sighed. “We don’t know what we may be up against, my prince. I think it wise we remain here and attempt to figure out what occurred--”

Before the advisor could finish, one of the soldiers called out to the two.

“I found something!” he shouted. The soldier walked over, a small vial in his hand. He handed it to the prince, who turned the vial in his hands to study it. “It’s cork is missing and whatever was inside it is gone.”

Raising the vial to his nose, the prince inhaled through it enough to hopefully pick up on a scent. He wrinkled his nose in confusion and then sniffed it again. “That is odd.” he commented, handing the vial to his advisor, who repeated his previous actions. “Do you smell anything?”

“No.” Moira answered. “This is a good thing, however. I believe I know what killed this man, your highness.”

“Well?” he urged, curious to know what was responsible for the downfall of this criminal.

“The only odorless poison I am aware of is Iocaine Powder.” the advisor stated. “That is likely the reason for this man’s death.” Prince Morrison nodded, thanking himself for bringing O’Deorain along. While he could track as well as a hound, this woman was knowledgeable in many things he wasn’t. That knowledge was valuable and he knows he wouldn’t have been able to identify what killed this man. “There we have it, sire. Shall we continue on our way?”

“Yes.” the prince said. He looked one last time at the body of the only present member of the party that had set upon his bride. Shame and anger overcame him. The prince wished he would have been the one to end this man’s life. There was no saying what he or the others had done to you, but he prayed you had gone unharmed. If you hadn’t, he would find the others even if it meant hunting them for the rest of his days. 

**…**

Your head whirled as you were once again forced to stop yourself against a rock to rest at the command of the man in black. Palms flat against the grainy surface, your whole body shook while you tried to keep yourself upright. Lifting your eyes, you found yourself staring down at a ravine. The drop was not instant, but it was very steep. Dried grass and thistle bushes covered the decline. Scanning the bottom of the ravine, you noticed it led towards a thick forest.

Finding it hard to continue looking down, you lifted your head slowly and turned around to face the man in black. He was watching you closely, though his eyes weren’t on you directly. His gaze was on the horizon behind you, on the rolling hills you had ran across a while ago. Sweat had darkened his clothing where it had soaked in and you could see the lines of it where it had trailed down his incredibly thick neck. As he breathed, catching his own breath, his Adam's apple bobbed in time with the rise and fall of his chest.

Your eyes studied every bit of him that they could. They drifted from his neatly kept facial hair and chiseled jaw to the open neck of his shirt. The sun-kissed brown skin of his chest that peeked out from the black shirt was covered with a smattering of curly black hair. Sweat soaked fabric clung to his body, framing his muscles in black all the way down to where his boots swallowed his calves. 

Earlier, you had noted the sword sheathed at his hip. A single ruby glittered from the butt of the sword, but the rest of it remained of simple design. The belt that the sheath was attached to also held an empty holster for some kind of firearm. By the length of the holster, you guessed it was normally home to a flintlock. 

You scoffed at yourself, thinking back on Akande’s words when he had believed he had won their duel of wits--

_ “ Now, the princess and I will be on our way while you die here, pirate scum.” _

Your eyes widened and you now knew why you were so sure you had seen this man before. 

Before you’d left the farm for the palace, you frequented the pub in town. Well, it was mostly going to fetch the lazy farmhands that had stayed out much too late drinking the night before. It was there that you saw the bulletin full of rough sketches of the local criminals that were wanted. You’d seen this man sketched before, the mask and all, but you couldn’t remember what the name was on the paper.

_ Was it “Red” something? No. Maybe you’d read that he was wanted dead. _

You squinted at your captor, biting your lip and concentrating on his face. Leaning backwards against your rock, you stared and stared at him as you tried to get your memory of his wanted poster clear in your mind.

_ Whatever it is, it rhymes with “red”. _

_ Red. Bead. Dead. Head. Dread. _

Time froze. Your heart stopped. You felt like you had just been punched in the throat.

Fall was a major season for pirating. With harvests in full swing and winter approaching, the ports were constantly crowded with ships loaded with goods of all kinds-- perfect targets for pirates looking for quick and easy profit. In Overton, there was no pirate more infamous than the one who had stolen the life of your Gabriel-- Dread Pirate Reaper. 

“Staring now, are we?” the man taunted. Turning his head, his lips formed a sly expression you wished you could wipe of his face. “Still trying to figure out who I am?”

“No.” you said, balling your hands into fists. “I already know who you are. Your cruelty reveals everything-- you’re the Dread Pirate Reaper. Admit it.”

With a mocking bow, your captor relinquished his identity at long last. “With pride. What can I do for you?”

“You can die slowly by being cut into a thousand pieces.” you seethed. “You don’t deserve to walk the earth, you villainous and deceitful bastard.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he shook his head and tutted at you. “That is hardly complimentary, your highness. I wasn’t aware you were such a venomous creature or I may have left you tied to that tree.” 

His words grated on your already enraged state. This man dared to be so flippant with you, disregarding your hatred and chiding you like some child to add insult to injury. If you could hurl the slab of rock you rested against at his head, you would have in a heartbeat. 

“Though, I am curious as to why you feel the need to bare your fangs.” he continued, posing a question without saying it explicitly.

Without blinking, you gave him his answer.

“You killed my love.” Your throat tightened as you spoke those words, making your voice crack. Blood heated your cheeks turning them pink as you continued to fill with anger and hatred for the murderer responsible for your misery. 

“It's possible. I kill a lot of people.” he said. The nonchalant manner in which he responded was irksome, but you allowed him to continue without interruption. He paced around you and the rock you sat against, his arms still crossed over his chest. “Who was this love of yours? Another prince? Boorish? Ugly? Rich and snobby?”

“No!” you snapped, stopping the pirate in his tracks. Your voice softened as you thought of your Gabriel. “He was a farm boy. Poor. Poor and perfect.” 

It had been far too long since you had pictured him in your head, but you allowed yourself this once. His dark brown eyes, bordering on black, came to your mind. The head of midnight black hair you loved running your fingers through was there too. You saw his smile as he bid you goodbye that day, beaming at you brighter than the sun rising on the horizon. 

“On the high seas, your ship attacked.” you accused, letting Gabriel’s image fade from your mind. Glaring up at Reaper himself, you did your best to convey the extent to which he had ruined your life. “The Dread Pirate Reaper never takes prisoners.”

He did not move, other than turning his head to look straight ahead of him. “Can’t afford to make exceptions.” he justified. “Once word gets out a pirate has gone soft, its nothing but work, work, work all the time.”

“You mock my pain!” you snapped.

His head snapped back to look at you, his own anger burning in his eyes.”Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”

Holding your gaze with his, you tried to find something to say in response. It took only a few seconds to realize you had nothing to throw back at him-- nothing that wasn’t just screaming in frustration. Instead, you dropped eyes to your lap. Even if it made you look weak, you didn’t care. You knew you weren’t and that was all that mattered.

“I remember this farm boy of yours, I think.” Reaper started again. You heard the rustling of the grass beneath his feet as he moved closer to you. “This would have been… five years ago?”

You remained silent.

“Does it bother you to hear?”

“Nothing you can say will upset me.” you answered, not even looking up at the man.

“He died well, you should know.” Reaper recounted. “There were no bribe attempts or blubbering. He simply said-- Please. Please, I need to live.”

Tilting your head slightly, you glanced at Reaper from the corners of your eyes. His story was drawing you in, despite you wanting to shut the man out entirely. Reaper glanced back at you and you found you couldn’t tear your eyes away.

“It was the ‘please’ that caught my memory.” he continued. “I asked him what was so important for him. True love-- he replied.”

Your throat tightened and you fought with every ounce of your being to hold yourself together.  _ Had he really said that? Your Gabriel? _

“Then he talked about a girl of surpassing beauty and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you.” Reaper huffed and shook his head, looking away from you. “You should thank me for ending his life before he found out what you really are.”

_ Oh. _ Rising to your feet, you moved so you were standing toe to toe with the heartless pirate. “And what am I?”

“Enduring faithfulness.  _ Your _ enduring faithfulness.” Reaper jeered. “Now tell me truly, did you get engaged to your prince at the same hour or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?”

“You’ve mocked me once. Never do it again.” you demanded furiously, leaning in closer to the scoundrel before you. “I died that day!”

“Is that so?” Reaper pushed, his taunting question pushing you to your limits.

Letting out a frustrated cry, you pounded a fist against his chest while your other hand tightened around the fabric at the adjacent shoulder. “You can die for all I care, you son of a--”

A mustache tickled at your upper lip as his mouth covered yours and kissed you without a moment's hesitation, silencing you before you could finish your insult.

Only one word came to mind as he kissed you and you helplessly let him--

_Shit._


	10. Chapter 10

Three things crossed your mind as you stood there, Reaper kissing you--

The first thing was the overwhelming anger and shock that consumed you. You hadn’t kissed anyone since Gabriel. There was no desire to kiss anybody in a romantic sense after he died, not even your betrothed. Your wedding day would have been the only exception, but certainly not this. Not once had you expected to have your next kiss stolen by the pirate that had killed your one true love.

Second, you felt shame. Your face flushed with the emotion. You'd vowed to avoid this kind of thing the day Gabriel died-- love, romance, and any variation of those things. This man, whose lips were moving against yours mercilessly, had killed Gabriel. He had run his sword through him or put his flintlock to the back of his head and ended his life without a thought to his pleas for living to see you again. It sickened you to your core and, if it weren't for the third thing on your mind, you could have vomited.

As if the first two things were reason enough to hate Reaper, the third burnt that into your mind and heart. Despite everything you knew of Gabriel's death and the man who had cruelly taken you from the hands of your kidnappers, a small part of you enjoyed his lips on yours. You'd nearly kissed him back before you realized the situation you were in. He kissed you hard, not holding back an ounce of himself. His hands were rough on your shoulders, holding you in place. The kiss happened so suddenly and was over almost as soon as it started. It caught you by surprise and you were almost swept away by its intensity.

You would never admit it, but the kiss itself was not unpleasant. In fact, had it been your fiance kissing you or any other man whom you didn’t despise, you would have enjoyed the kiss thoroughly. If only that were true. Reaper was a loathsome and despicable man for forcing himself on you, for making you feel this way, and for not regretting an ounce of any of the decisions he had made up to this point. 

As he pulled away, you stumbled away from him and fell to the ground. The shame, anger, and shock washed over you in its entirety. Kneeling on the ground, you grabbed a fistful of the grass beneath you as if it could ground you there from the tidal wave of everything. "You sicken me." you voiced, stomach turning sour. You couldn't lift your gaze to face him after what he'd just done to you. It was much easier to be mad and so you let that be how you responded. "How dare you. How dare you take advantage of--"

"Listen well, princesa--" Reaper started, stepping closer until his feet were in your line of sight. He squatted in front of you, grabbing your chin and forcing you to look him in the eyes. "I am not a patient man. My temper is short and I do not stand for disrespect from anyone. On my ship, it is punishable by a lashing."

He glowered at you, holding you firmly in place. His words sank into you like needles. Your emotional armor had been battered and he was unknowingly stabbing you where it had been torn open. If you let it show, he did not seem to notice 

"I've given you a warning and I could have done worse than a kiss, but I will spare you that shame." he continued. His words sent a shiver through your body. Did he mean worse as in giving you a lashing or was it something else? You dare not ask, fearing whatever he implied was worse and not knowing if such a question was reason to do much worse than a non-consensual kiss.

Letting go of you, he stood up and held out a gloved hand to you. When you didn't take it, the fingers of the hand hanging by his side curled into a fist which he clenched tightly. "Get up.  _ Now _ ." he growled, the sound like frigid ice to your ears.

Taking his hand, he pulled you to your feet. You said nothing as he kept hold of it, though you wanted nothing more than to wrench it from his gloved clutch."Before we continue on our way, you must give me your word that you will do as I say. Seriously this time, princesa."

"I don't have to give you anything." you said defiantly.

Reaper squeezed your hand hard, bordering on actually hurting it. "Do not test me again." he warned. "Where we are about to go is dangerous and I cannot guarantee your survival unless you trust me and listen to my every order."

"Where are we going?" you asked, wanting to be sure the man was not wanting to simply impose control over you for no good reason. Curiosity as to what place could seem dangerous to a man like Reaper.

"The Black Swamp." he answered as if it were somewhere he went on a regular basis. You knew differently, however. The Black Swamp was no vacation destination, nor was it any place a person should desire to go for a casual stroll. It was believably one of the most dangerous places on the continent. Parents told their children that was where they’d end up if they didn’t behave. Criminals feared being exiled to the place. Not even explorers dared to map the area of the swamp itself. 

Most importantly, no one had ever been known to have made it out of the swamp alive. Many lives had been claimed by the three dangers that lurked there-- the black sand pits that the swamp was named after, flame spurts, and creatures of unusual size. All three are equally dangerous as they are terrifying. Should anyone come across just one of those in the swamp and survive, they are sure to be caught by one of the other three. 

Digging your heels in, you shook your head at Reaper. “Absolutely not. You are insane if you think either of us will make it out alive.” you argue, hoping he would listen to reason. Even a pirate would know of the tales of this swamp. 

“You’re just saying that because no one has before.” Reaper replied, his voice nonchalant. 

“How am I supposed to trust that you aren’t just going to kill me?” you question, narrowing your eyes at the pirate. He claimed he wasn’t rescuing you, but here he was asking you to follow him in order to stay alive. If he’d left you tied to the tree after killing Akande, your death would certainly have been guaranteed. Now he was leading you into certain death and you could not find it in yourself to trust him.“You’ve taken me as a prisoner, but we both know that is something you never do. You said it yourself-- once word gets out that you’ve gone soft, your reputation is gone. You’re not my savior, yet you wish to spare my life.”

“You are wasting time, princess.” Reaper snapped, pulling you closer by your wrist. He held it against his chest, looking you in the eyes. “Your word or else.”

“Or else I let you lead me into the Black Swamp? Straight into my doom as well as yours?” you shoot back. You knew you were treading dangerous waters already, but you’d face Reaper and anything he could dish out over the Black Swamp any day. “I do not trust you. I have not trusted you since we met and you’ve given me no reason to do otherwise. If you’re so keen on running into danger head first, then I will not stop you. However, do not expect me to follow you like a lamb to its slaughter.”

Reaper growled, the sound vibrating in his chest against your forearm pressed against it. “Damn you.” he said, his voice low and threatening. If his eyes could shoot daggers before, you were sure his gaze was capable of shooting broadswords now. “You try my patience, princesa. I will give you one last chance before we do things my way. Give me your word and I swear you will live to see the other side of the Black Swamp. I will grant you your freedom then and only then, but first your word.”

You stared right back at him, letting his words roll around in your head. Despite his abrasiveness and threats, he had managed to promise you would live and that he would free you. He had not said such things before, but it seems you had made him desperate enough to be rid of you. Akande and his crew had not been as kind as to promise that much or promise anything at all. If you said no, he might not keep his promise, but that was a risk you were willing to take if it meant your freedom.

“You have my word.” you said, dropping your gaze defeatedly. 

Reaper did not gloat over his victory, wasting no further time in leading you along behind him towards an uncertain fate. You may have just sealed your death in agreeing to go with him despite everything telling you not to, but there was a positive side to it.

If you died in the swamp, then it was likely Reaper would too. In ending your life, you’d see your Gabriel on the other side and kill the man who took his. That prospect was far too enticing to pass up. Even if both of you somehow managed to survive, and if Reaper kept his word, you would see to it that Prince Morrison captured the criminal for what he had put you through. You would relish the day that Dread Pirate Reaper’s life came to an end. As the two of you descended the ravine along a rocky path, you prayed that you would get to see the life leave his eyes before your own faded.

**…**

Prince Morrison’s blood boiled. He had spotted you and your kidnapper on the horizon before the two of you had disappeared. Even if he had pushed his horse hard, he would not have reached you in time. However, knowing that you were being led on foot gave him an advantage should he catch up.

“Where is he taking her?” Moira asked, bringing her horse up alongside her prince’s. “It seems that the ground drops right where they disappeared to.”

Prince Morrison shook his head, cursing himself inwardly for not catching on faster. The only place they could make their escape and guarantee no one would follow them would be the Black Swamp. If that was the case, both their lives would be in mortal danger and he’d be powerless to stop them now. “There is no doubt in my mind-- they are headed dead into the Black Swamp.”

The prince could not help but notice the crestfallen expressions of his men. They knew the perils of the swamp and the fact that no one had survived the place. He had to believe that his bride would make it out alive. There was only one way to do so.

“Men, we will ride without rest to the other side of the swamp.” Prince Morrison spoke, his voice confident despite the uncertainty of his bride’s survival. “If they somehow make it out, we can cut them off there. We may have to post up there for as long as a week to be certain they do not slip by our trap. If that is the case, I will send a group of you to retrieve supplies to do so.”

“Sire, I must advise against this.” Moira said in a hushed voice, meaning to keep their words between each other. “The plans for your coronation cannot be put on hold. Not to mention how pointless it will be to wait for your bride and her kidnapper to escape from a place no one has before. I fear you are letting your emotions get the better of you.”

The look that the prince shot his advisor could have frozen hell over. “We will wait as long as I say. (Y/n) will survive and we will be crowned together in a month’s time.” Prince Morrison said pointedly, his tone sharp and commanding. He did not stand for Moira’s practicality in such a circumstance as he found himself in presently. The woman was wise, but she could not grasp such aspirations for hope or the like. Whether the prince’s emotions were clouding his judgement, he could not stand the disregard for his given orders. “Until I say differently, my orders stand.”

Before Moira could put a word in edgewise, the prince took off on his horse at a gallop. His guard followed as the advisor begrudgingly took up the rear, calculating her next steps as they rode on. The prince was becoming a loose canon with each passing moment of this little escapade. His very life was in danger, the life she had sworn her remaining days to. If his efforts to save the princess resulted in his death, the advisor knew she would have failed her duty. 

She would allow his actions this one last time. After them, however, she would put an end to his carelessness. He had a duty to fulfill and she would see him to it regardless of whether the princess survived or not.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold a very long chapter compared to the others that I've written. There was just too much good stuff to try and split it up, so have at it! Enjoy!

The Black Swamp’s appearance lived up to every one of your expectations of the place. It was wild and untouched by the hands of mankind. The trees grew so high and thick that they blocked out most of the sun, along with the steep cliffs of the ravine on either side. From the thick canopy, you could hear the cries of birds. They had an advantage up there by being able to avoid the dangers far below. If only it would be easy for you and Reaper to do the same.

Yet another obstacle in your way were the vines of ivy and other climbing species of plants that had crawled their way up the enormous trees. They hung like curtains from the lower branches, that were still a good ten feet off the ground at the lowest point. Some vines were as thick as your arms and were impossible to break through by hand. Reaper’s sword became useful for clearing a path. Even so, some thickets of heavy vines were too much and Reaper’s sword would get stuck halfway through. 

Overgrown grass and weeds grabbed at your skirts with every step you took. You’d glanced down to see the shreds of the hem dangling above the ground, your muddied boots poking out from beneath. Thorns and stickers adorned the torn fabric wherever they had managed to grab hold. It seemed like every part of this place, even the plant life, was out for blood. No matter where you followed Reaper in the swamp, no matter where you glanced, nature was on every side of you but was never  _ on _ your side.

If that weren’t enough, the eerie silence of the forest kept your nerves on end. Besides the birds high above you and the  _ thwack _ of Reaper cutting back vines, there were no other sounds. The wind didn’t cut through the swamp and rustle the leaves high above you. Sounds barely even echoed through the ravine at all. Small trenches of thick mud with a layer of water made sad excuses for streams-- they didn’t even bubble. Every part of the swamp was laying in wait, silently anticipating the right moment to strike without mercy. You kept close behind Reaper, hoping that he’d keep his word of protecting you.

So caught up in maintaining awareness of your surroundings, you failed to notice when Reaper had halted in front of you. You ran into the back of him, making you jump. “Sorry.” you apologized quickly. You backed away from the pirate a short distance, then stopped to wait to see which way he’d go. When he did not move, you decided to question him as to why. “Why did you--”

“Shhh…” he hushed, holding up a hand. He was swiveling his head side to side, obviously listening for something. You stomped a foot in frustration, knowing he was just being difficult. There were little to no sounds of any sort. There hadn’t been since you’d entered this god forsaken place. 

“I do not take kindly to waiting around for our certain deaths.” you shot at the man in front of you.

He glanced at you over his shoulder, rolling his eyes as he turned back forward. You were surprised he didn’t say anything before he continued clearing a path ahead of him. Following, you made sure to keep an eye on Reaper in case he decided to stop suddenly again. The man had to have done so just to get at you for all the trouble you’ve proven to be. You huffed in annoyance, wishing you were travelling through the world’s most dangerous place with anyone else. 

At least he had been kind enough to trust you to follow him. There was no more of him holding your wrist harshly or dragging you at a breakneck speed. You still had to push yourself to keep up with him, but you did so in fear of getting lost or coming across the dangers of the Black Swamp. If this had been any other place, you would have made an attempt to escape. Sadly, that was not the case. You were perhaps a few steps away from certain peril at all times and you’d rather have someone able to save you close by than not.

Reaper walked ahead of you, swinging his sword every few minutes, the vines he cut away slapping against the trunks of the trees they hung from. You kept your arms in close, afraid that the vines would bring you harm if you even brushed them lightly. If only you were able to keep the rest of you from harm's way. As if to punctuate that point, your skirts snagged on a thorny branch. You swore under your breath as you moved to yank the once beautiful fabric from the branch’s greedy grasp.

Bending down, you tugged at the fabric just above where it had snagged. The branch did not relinquish your skirt and you huffed yet again. You pulled hard and fast, the sound of your dress tearing meeting your ears and only making this situation seem all the worse. Your freedom came at a cost in many cases. Your eyes assessed the damage and you wished you hadn’t looked. The tear had gone all the way up to your knee, exposing your skin to the world. Without a sewing kit, it would have to stay like that until…  _ if _ you made it out of the swamp.

“Sorry about that.” you said as you rose and turned to continue following Reaper. 

However, you had failed to grab his attention when you’d been caught by the branch. He was nowhere in sight, having gone ahead without you. You were left completely alone and unprepared to deal with any of the dangers lurking nearby. Cursing yourself inwardly, you knew you had to do something. If he noticed your absence, he might think that you’d broken your promise to him. Then you really would wish you were dead because that would mean a retraction of his promise to free you, given that either of you survived the swamp. 

Attempting to catch up with him was a compelling but ultimately unwise choice. The vines he had cut remained, but you weren’t certain of the path he’d taken beyond them. If you tried to discern which way he went, you could see yourself lost even more so or stumble upon something unpleasant. That was not a viable option.

That left you with the choice of staying put and hoping Reaper would notice that you weren’t dawdling along behind him. You also had to hope that something dangerous would not stumble across you while you waited for Reaper to back-track. Your nerves would further be put to the test by remaining right where you stood, awaiting a rescue that wasn’t guaranteed for the millionth time. It all seemed so risky, but you really had nothing else you could actively do.

Deciding on the latter, you hugged your sides and put your head on a swivel, being attentive to your surroundings. You weren’t going to let anything sneak up on you, be it an arrogant and cruel pirate or anything else that could come crashing through the underbrush. Your ears were tuned in to the silence of the swamp, listening for anything that may give away the position of the things unseen. 

You had also decided it wise not to create a ruckus to bring Reaper back to you. There would be no shouting or screaming of any sort. If you did, Reaper might pick it up, but the other things in the swamp would as well. Then it would be a race to see who got to you first, so you kept your lips pressed tightly together and waited.

Pacing back and forth seemed to ease your nerves, so you slowly walked back and forth between two trees near the vines Reaper had cut before he’d left you alone. The constant movement kept you from letting your mind get the best of you. You weren’t calm in the least bit, but you wouldn’t let that carry you away into a violent emotional storm. In order to survive, you needed to be a pillar of strength even if you did not feel that way on the inside. You’d already let your emotions wreak havoc on you more than once since Reaper saving you-- better to not let it happen again.

Your alertness picked up on a faint popping sound close by. You froze in place, listening closely as the sound continued. It grew louder and you looked in the direction that it came from-- just beyond the curtain of vines Reaper had cut away. Cautiously, you moved closer, readying to flee at any given moment. The popping grew and dissipated, but the volume of the sound increased. It almost sputtered like boiling water did, but it wasn’t water. The sound was unlike anything you’d heard before and, while it frightened you, you found yourself curious as to what was creating such a sound.

You took a single step forward and the sound stopped, falling silent.

It was then that you noticed how warm the swamp had gotten. Fall weather meant chillier temperatures, especially this late in the season. The Black Swamp was proving to be an exception to the laws of nature as you found your brow coated with a light sheen of perspiration. Something was off about this place and you knew you should head back to where you’d been waiting for Reaper, but you stayed a moment longer to see if the sound would return.

About a minute passed and the popping sound had not made a second appearance. You wondered if you’d just imagined the sound, but shrugged it off. It wasn’t a good idea any longer for it to return, so you moved to head back and wait for Reaper.

Two steps in, the sound returned full force and a gust of hot air circled up your body. There was a hissing sound and you stopped where you were, afraid that it was a snake making that wretched sound. It wasn’t much longer after that when you noticed the blackened ground around you and the faint smell of smoke. 

Now you knew what the sound was-- one of the dangers of the Black Swamp.

Flame Spurts.

After that realization, you did not waste much time in moving. However, you were much too late in doing so. 

A spout of flames burst from the ground a few feet away to your right. Heat washed over you and covered your face with your arms to protect yourself from it. The skin of your leg exposed by the tear in your skirt was at the mercy and you felt the flames full force. You cried out in pain, stumbling away from the flame spurt. Further away from the danger, you glanced down and let out a panicked cry at the sight of the ends of your skirts on fire. 

Falling down, you reached down and attempted to put the flames out yourself. Grabbing handfuls of dirt and anything else your hands could, you threw it at your skirts while you kicked violently. 

Out of nowhere, it seemed, a familiar pair of gloved hands reached out and patted the flames down. You gasped as your eyes flicked up to see Reaper squatted down at your feet, managing to spare you from being lit ablaze. As the ends of your skirt finished smoldering, he looked to you with an intense stare.

“You gave your word, your highness.” he said bitterly. “You lied to me.”

“I-I didn’t.” you pushed back, voice shaking from the rush of adrenaline you’d just experienced. “My dress got caught and when I turned to find you, you were gone.”

“A likely story.” he huffed in disbelief before standing and pulling you with him by your wrist. As you clambered to your feet, he let go and stalked away from you. When you stood up fully, you watched as he paced back towards you. He stopped once he was toe to toe with you, putting a pointed index finger in your face. “I gave you my word and that was not enough. You could have died, princess. Do you realize that?”

“Of course.” you answered, hoping you could justify yourself to this impossible man. He had given you a reason to trust him just a little bit and you’d been asked to do a whole lot more by putting your life in his hands. “Like I said, my skirts snagged on a branch. I should have let you know when that happened, but the thought didn’t even cross my mind. I’m sorry--”

“I somehow doubt that.” Reaper cut in.

That was it. You had reached a tipping point. “Listen, I’ve apologized and been honest with you even though you’re the last person on earth that I’d be willing to do either of things for. I gave you my word and, though it seems I went back on it, I am here telling you I did not. I have no reason or desire to lose my only means of protection in this Hell of a swamp.” You stared Reaper dead in his eyes for this next piece. “If you think for one more second that I am lying to you, then explain why I didn’t move farther from these vines you cut. Why didn’t I go running off sooner when you weren’t paying attention?”

Reaper stared at you, not saying a word in response. Not even his eyes gave away what was running through his head nor what he would say to you next. 

Throwing your hands up in defeat, you let out a guttural cry of frustration. “I never imagined I’d get to meet the man who ruined my life, but you’re just as infuriating as I imagined you would be.” Crossing your arms over your chest, you glanced away from Reaper, the sight of him alone angering you. “Believe of me what you will, but I swear on the life of my true love, who you murdered in cold blood, that I am being honest when I say that I did not intend to fall behind or cause more trouble than is necessary.”

After a few seconds, Reaper let out a quiet sigh, but did not argue against your harsh words. “Come along, then. We shouldn’t waste too much time here anyways.” he said, his voice sharp but not as cold as it usually was. Drawing his sword again, he started off and only stopped once to look back to make sure you were following, which you were.

The further into the swamp the two of you went, the less scarier it seemed. Reaper was keen on picking up the sound of Flame Spurts and would steer you away from them. If it was possible, he’d avoid areas where they had left their mark entirely. Neither of you had seen traces of the other two dangers yet, but it might be possible that you wouldn’t at all. Even as the silence of the swamp persisted, the hairs that once stood on end at all times slowly dissipated. 

At some point, Reaper stopped and sheathed his sword. You’d come to a halt in a small clearing. There wasn’t much aside from some small boulders and fallen branches. You guessed before Reaper even said anything that your travelling for the day was over. Judging by the lack of what little sunlight there was filtering through the trees, it must be getting close to sundown. Things would be much more dangerous without the sun’s light.

“We’ll rest here for the night.” Reaper said, turning to face you. As if to make a point, some creature howled from deeper within the swamp. “It’ll be dangerous if we keep moving after dark. Gather some wood up for a fire. I’ll see if I can find something worth eating. If not, we’ll have to do without.”

You nodded and began gathering small branches and anything you could find for kindling. It wasn’t very difficult, especially with the abundance of wood in the clearing. In just a few short minutes, you’d collected and created a stack of the materials you’d collected. Even without Reaper asking you, you’d gone ahead and set up the firewood so it would be easy for him to light once he returned.

Having finished your task, you sat down on the ground and leaned back against one of the small boulders. Your body ached from the cumulative exertion and stress of the last two days. The arduous journey was clearly not over yet, but you were happy for even a moment of rest such as this. With a fire to warm you through the night and the prospect of something on your stomach, you could hardly complain.

Reaper was quick to return and, thankfully, wasn’t empty handed. In his hand, he carried a fairly large catfish by its tail. It probably wouldn’t be too tasty of a meal, given the lack of kitchen amenities, but it would be food on your empty stomach. Just the thought of eating had your stomach grumbling and your mouth watering. 

You watched as Reaper set to work on starting the fire and preparing the catfish. He didn’t speak a word to you, his focus solely on the work at hand. That didn’t keep you from observing him. 

The man confused you with the sheer amount of skills he had shown since rescuing you earlier. Reaper was a pirate, so he was well-versed in fighting and trickery. He was a merciless killer and seemed to have a strong sense of direction, having guided the two of you all this way. The man was strong, ruthless, and his endurance baffled you.However, one thing that baffled you more so was that you could not think of a single pirate that could prepare a fish and cook it over an open fire.

You’d watched as he skinned the thing upon the surface of one of the boulders with a knife he’d had tucked away in his boot. The ease with which he peeled back the tough rubbery skin of the fish astonished you. He was precise in every movement, methodically slicing the different parts of the catfish. Reaper gutted the fish and removed its head and tail before cutting the remaining meat into smaller fillets. 

Using some of the wood you’d gathered, he set up a spit over the fire that you’d since moved closer to. As he leaned over the dancing flames, his eyes caught yours. “You’ve been watching me, princesa.” he said, eyes going back to the forked branches he was stabbing into the ground. “Like a hawk. I hope you’ve not become afraid of me because I’ve already established that I mean no harm.”

“Where did you learn all this?” you ask before you can stop yourself. He pauses and studies his work before lifting his gaze to yours again. “A pirate captain usually has a cook aboard to do all this for him. It just seems a little odd to me.”

“I wasn’t always a pirate captain, princess.” he answered, turning to retrieve the fillets he’d just cut. When he returned, he continued talking as he laid the pieces over the piece of wood held up by the forked branches he’d stuck in the ground. “I’ve spent my fair share of time in a galley, so I know my way around all sorts of dishes.” He sat down across from you on the other side of the fire, leaning forward on one of his knees. “Do you still find that odd?”

That did make sense, so you shook your head. 

“You know, princess, I also have to admit to something seeming odd.” The fire danced in Reaper’s eyes, lighting the mischief that he clearly was up to. “You’re engaged to a man who you don’t love. I only ask out of curiosity, but why marry at all if your supposed true love died?”

You sighed, wishing you hadn’t said anything to Reaper in the first place about your love life. He’d been so kind as to answer your question so you would humor him this once, despite his ill intentions in even bringing up this subject yet again. “I did it out of necessity. My family’s farm was at risk of falling under due to the drought during the summer. The prince offered his help in turn for my hand. I couldn’t refuse with the livelihood of myself and my family on the line.” you answered. “Prince Morrison is a good man. He cares for his people and, though I can’t return his feelings, he cares deeply for me.”

“I see.” Reaper mused, poking at the fish with the knife he’d used to prepare it while it sizzled and dripped over the flames. The man had been so curious and your answer seemed to perplex him further, though he did not say as much. He’d clearly meant to take another stab at you for his apparent grudge with your fiance, but you’d managed to shoot that down quite quickly with your candor.

The conversation ended there, neither one of you wanting to continue it. You knew that if you opened your mouth, you’d likely say too much again or find yourself on Reaper’s bad side. His silence after you’d answered was difficult to read and you’d rather not take any chances. The harsh words that had already been spoken were still fresh in your mind. It was better if you let yourself get over them before going and creating more problems.

There were more important things anyways, namely one-- dinner. The fish couldn’t seem to cook fast enough so, when Reaper deemed it edible, you wouldn’t let anything stop you from consuming your share of the meal. When you were handed one of the fillets, skewered on a stick Reaper had whittled on to rid it of bark and dirt, you happily took it. The fish was still hot as you took a first small bite from it, not caring as the meat burned your mouth. It was tender and moist, though it had the faintest taste of mud. As far as flavor, it was certainly lacking. However, it was food and you were happy to have it at all.

“Thank you.” you said to Reaper after finishing the first piece. He could have chosen to not feed you, but he had gone out of his way to provide for both himself and you regardless. Your stomach was still not satisfied and you looked to the fish that remained hungrily. “May I?”

Reaper reached his hand across the top of the fire, looking at the empty skewer in your hand. You handed it to him, placing the piece of wood gently in his palm. As you pulled away, your fingers brushed against his and you realized he’d removed his gloves at some point. The contact with his bare skin sent a shock of sensation up your arm, causing you to draw it back quickly. Reaper gave you a confused look, but said nothing as he put another piece of fish on the skewer before returning it to you.

As you ate the second piece, you cursed yourself for reacting the way you did at the touch of the pirate’s hand. You knew your cheeks were warmer now from more than just the fire. Despite the embarrassment, you found that you couldn’t stop thinking of the feeling that simple grazing of your fingers had created inside you. Your mind flashed back to him kissing you and to his apparent worry when he’d saved you from the Flame Spurt, stoking that feeling further.

_ Attraction. _

Raw and unbridled attraction had worked its way up inside your body, despite any warnings given who Reaper was and what his actions had cost you. He acted rough and tough, but you’d seen that he was capable of things he’d said would ruin his career as a pirate. Something about that drew you to him, made you want to know what else he was capable of. Fear and common sense held you back from questioning him about it, knowing you wouldn’t hear anything to justify your inexplicable pull to the man who’d murdered your Gabriel. The pull remained nonetheless and you put your focus into finishing your meal, choosing to ignore the enticing emotions whirling inside you.

With a full belly and the warmth of the fire, you tucked your limbs in close to your body and basked in your newfound contentment. You would have never guessed you’d find such a thing in the dead of the Black Swamp but here you were. Crickets chirped over the sound of the fire crackling, lulling you into a further state of ease. Up above you, beyond the canopy of trees and tangle of vines, you could spy a few stray stars in the darkened sky and even a sliver of the moon. 

Time seemed to slip by you as you rested and relaxed. Before you knew it, the fire had died down and the chilled autumn air made itself known. Sleepily, you glanced over at Reaper. He was still wide awake, his sword in hand as he watched the places where the light from the fire stopped. In his black clothing and mask, he almost blended in with the permeating darkness of the swamp behind him. Only the light of the slowly dying fire gave him away, bathing him in its softly wavering glow. 

He must have felt you were looking at him because he chose to turn and look at you. His eyes always seemed to find yours, to catch your gaze without mercy and hold you there. You shivered from a combination of the intensity of his stare and the chill that was setting in. 

“Would you mind putting another log on?” you asked so quietly you weren’t sure he heard you. 

He had heard you, however, and he responded just as softly as you had. So softly, in fact, that you'd almost missed what he'd spoken, but you'd heard those three words and time seemed to stand still. Those three words were the ones that had been etched into your heart by your true love's own hand. The only three words that you would ever hold so near and dear. Three words that encapsulated the sudden wave of emotions that crashed over you the instant you heard them.

_“As you wish.”_


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment we've all been waiting for!

Everything you’d known and been told the past five years was screaming at you that this couldn’t be happening. Reaper had murdered your Gabriel. He was long gone from this world and nothing in the world could change that. You’d spent far too long grieving such an enormous loss, wallowing in your heartbreak, for him to be sitting across from you. On top of that, he was disguised as the very man that had supposedly stolen him from your life.

Yet, here he was just mere feet from you. You stared at him, unsure of whether to run to his side or stay where you were. After all your thoughts of what you would do if you got to see him one last time, you found you were unable to do any of those things.

“Gabriel?” you whispered, your tired eyes filling with tears. “Is it really you?”

He reached up and pulled his mask from his face, revealing that it was, in fact, your true love. Your eyes drank in his features, noting how much he’d changed over the course of his absence, but finding that he was still very much the same. Gone were his once boyish looks, replaced by the chiseled features of his face and well kept facial hair. His eyes were still the same too, though they’d shot you cold glances so many times that day. Now, they were filled with regret for each of those looks.

Gabriel said your name, passing his lips like a desperate man’s prayer. The sound of it was like sweet honey to your ears. It tore down the walls you had built around your heart. It shook the foundations of your body and soul. It compelled you to go to him, throwing caution to the wind and damning anything that might try to stop you.

You crossed the small space between you and flung yourself into his arms, which were there to catch you as you collided with him. Your tears fell freely and you sobbed into his chest, letting everything you’d been holding back out. One of his hands found its way to the back of your head, holding you closely while the other remained at the small of your back. 

“Everything is alright.” he whispered to you, running his fingers through your hair. “I’m here. I’m here and I promise I will never leave you again.”

His words only made you cry harder. Your hands found purchase in his shirt, holding him there as if he’d disappear at any second. Beneath your fisted right hand, you could feel his heart beating, further proving that this was no dream-- Gabriel was here. Gabriel was alive.

He held you tightly for what seemed like hours until you were calmed, whispering comforting words and reassurances the entire time. Your tears stopped and your sobbing became soft but ragged breathing. Only then did you dare to look up at him.

His eyes caught yours and the small smile he gave you nearly took your breath away. 

“It really is you.” you breathed. “You’re alive.” Gabriel brought a hand up to cup your cheek, brushing a calloused thumb back and forth across your soft skin. You leaned into his hand, loving every moment of his affection.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” Gabriel questioned, bringing you back to your present situation, which you’d nearly forgotten. You were engaged to another man, believing you’d been unfaithful to him and the promise you’d sworn to him before his departure to the new world. “I told you that I would always come for you.”

“I thought you were dead.” you rationalized. “What else was I supposed to think?”

“Death cannot stop true love, mi amor.” Gabriel responded, shaking his head at you for thinking any differently. “All it can do is delay it for a while. I am here now and I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.”

Lifting a hand to cover his, that was still cupping your cheek, you leaned in closer. His face was inches from yours and you could feel his breath hot against your face. Your eyes looked up into his, knowing you could never be parted. He had given you his word and you would trust it until you drew your last breath. “I will never doubt you again.” you vowed.

“There will never be a need.” Gabriel whispered, before he closed the distance between you two, pressing his lips to yours. 

Gabriel groaned against your lips, hungrily kissing you back. He pulled you closer, his one hand running through your hair to the back of your head and the other holding your back. The longer he kissed you, the less you wanted for it to end. You’d dreamt of kissing him one last time, of him being by your side. In that moment, you knew those dreams were nothing compared to what it actually was like. 

You gasped when he pulled your hair lightly, giving him leeway to push his tongue past your lips. Your mouth was at his mercy now. The wet muscle twisted around your own, poking and prodding playfully. If that weren’t enough, the taste of him drove you wild. He flooded your senses completely, causing you to forget everything. You could have forgotten your own name with the way he devoured you, took you in without an ounce of hesitation. 

When he pulled back, you were gasping for air. Breathing had seemed far less important with his lips on yours and his tongue twisted with yours. Your face was flushed with heat and, though you knew you looked like a mess before, you were sure you looked even more unkempt. That hardly mattered to either of you. You were reunited at last and nothing could steal that happiness.

You moved so you were sitting next to him and leaned your head on his shoulder. He sneaked a hand down and intertwined it with one of yours, letting it rest between the two of you. “Oh Gabriel,” you sighed. “I’ve missed you terribly. I hardly know what to think or even say knowing you are actually here. I’ve dreamed so much of you somehow sweeping back into my life, but I could never have dreamed of this.”

“That hardly matters. This will soon be but a happy memory.” Gabriel responded. “My ship, the Revenge, waits in the harbor at the other end of the Black Swamp and, as you know, I am the Dread Pirate Reaper.”

You had nearly forgotten that he was the acclaimed fiendish pirate. The very same pirate had set upon his ship five years ago, but the Revenge and it’s fearsome captain had been marauding for far longer than that. “How can that be? You’ve only been gone five years but Reaper has been pirating for something close to twenty years.”

“Life has a way of surprising people, myself included.” Gabriel answered. “You see, what I said about my ‘please’ was true. Reaper was intrigued by my plea and the description of your beauty. I’m not sure what convinced him, but he ultimately came to a decision. He said-- all right, Gabriel. I’ve never had a valet, but you can try it for tonight. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”

“Three years, he said that. He’d wish me a good night, compliment my work, then suggest that I wouldn’t live to see the next night.” Gabriel continued. “He never followed through with it, for which I am grateful. I spent my time learning anything anyone would teach me-- fencing, fighting, quite a few other skills as well. Eventually, Reaper and I became friends and then it happened.”

“What happened?” you pressed, hanging on every word Gabriel had spoken. A chilled breeze swept around you and you shivered. Gabriel pulled you closer, his body warmer and hopefully able to help fend off the autumn air. “Go on.”

“He took me to his cabin and told me a secret-- that he was not the Dread Pirate Reaper.” Gabriel elaborated. “His name was Jamie and he’d inherited the name and position from the previous captain, who was not the real Dread Pirate Reaper either. The first Reaper, a man by the name of Jean-Baptiste, had been retired 15 years and living like a king in France. Jamie made it clear that he intended to pass the position down to me, as he’d grown rich enough to retire comfortably to Australia.”

Gabriel went on to explain that it wasn’t the man himself who made the pirate so fearsome. The name, the Dread Pirate Reaper, is what carried that fear throughout the seas. Had it changed with the captains, the reputation would have surely been lessened.  _ The Dread Pirate Gabriel _ did not inspire nearly quite as much as the original name. 

“We sailed ashore and took on an entirely new crew, Jamie staying aboard as my first mate, calling me Reaper the whole time.” Gabriel regaled. “It wasn’t hard to convince the crew of my identity and, the minute we hit the next port, Jamie left and I have been Reaper ever since.”

“Wow.” you breathed. It was miraculous that Gabriel was even sitting here with you. His story was just a summary of the many things that he’d experienced since leaving you. You couldn’t even start to imagine how much of the world he’d seen, of the adventures he’d been on. Something inside you twisted, thinking that he’d like to return to that life-- even if it meant leaving you behind. You glanced up at him, feeling guilty he had come all this way to rescue you if that is what he intended. “Quite a story. I fear nothing I have to tell will be nearly as exciting.”

“Fear not, my love.” Gabriel said, turning and pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Now that we’re together, I shall retire and hand the name over to someone else. Despite its excitement,” Gabriel pulled you back far enough so you were forced to look him in the eyes. The fire danced in them, his face illuminated with it’s warm glow. A wave of desirous hunger squeezed tightly at your body as he whispered to you. “I have waited far too long to be by your side, to hold you, to  _ kiss _ you.”

A warm hand cupped your cheek, its calloused thumb caressing your soft skin. The sensation sent tingles down your neck and to every part of your body. Even with the chilled autumn air and the warmth of the fire, you knew your cheeks were flushed with more than just temperature. Your mouth became dry and your mind spun with the endless possibilities of the moment. You wanted him to kiss you as he had done before. You wanted him to hold you as if he’d never let go again. He was here by your side, real and alive.

Your breath hitched in your throat as he trailed his thumb down your sensitive neck, catching you off guard. Gabriel watched you react, his eyes never leaving you even as he slid the fabric of your dress over the juncture of your neck and shoulder aside. Leaning down, he kissed the spot gently, his tongue darting out and lavishing the patch of skin with tender affection. If you’d been standing, you would have collapsed.

“Gabriel.” you sighed, head falling to the side to allow him to continue.

Once or twice, you’d allowed yourself to fantasize of Gabriel touching you like this and even further. It was easy to admit that real thing was far more exciting than any stray thought or daydream could ever have been. He nibbled at your skin, kissing and sucking and licking as if you were the tastiest morsel to ever lay his mouth upon. Your skin had erupted in goose-flesh long before he’d started kissing you but, even as your temperature rose, it remained. 

“You’re mine, princess.” Gabriel growled against your skin, his lips moving up to your ear. He took the lobe between his teeth and pulled at it gently, letting it fall back. His hot breath tickled as it wisped across the folds of your ear. “Shall I continue?”

As your mind whirled to answer his question, you felt his fingers toying with the ties at the front of your dress, hanging just between your breasts. It would have been so easy to just say yes and throw caution to the wind, but despite the overwhelming need for him to have your body then and there, you knew it would not be wise. You were in the middle of the Black Swamp in the dead of night. Dangers lurked in every place just beyond your line of sight and turning either of your eyes for too long could prove fatal.

“Gabriel,” you started, but your voice broke in a soft moan as he nipped your ear again, a little too harshly this time. As hard as it was to deny the both of you something that you wanted, it had to be done. Putting a hand against his chest, you pushed away and gave him a pleading look. “We can’t. Not here.”

Gabriel’s lustful expression shifted entirely. He now looked upon you as if he’d just been reviled entirely. Your true love withdrew, shifting over to put space between you. It hurt having to see him react as such, so you reached out a hand to place on his arm reassuringly. 

“Gabriel, I--”

“Has he had you?” Gabriel swallowed, trying and failing to mask his indignation. He turned from you, gazing at his hands that had just been on you. 

“What?” you stammered, his question catching you off guard.

Gabriel stood and walked away from you to the other side of the fire. He turned around and shrugged his arms exasperatedly. “The prince, your fiance, has he touched you the way I long to touch you? Laid claim to your body, which I’ve imagined for years? If he has, I’ll…” Gabriel trailed off, his eyes meeting yours which remained calm in the face of his jealous agitation. “Say something. Anything, (y/n). I beg of you to be honest with me if you have waited for me all this time, longing for the same things I have.”

“I’ve waited, Gabriel.” you answered and saw the relief wash over your lover’s face. “I’ve longed to feel your touch.” A nervous lump rose in your throat, but you continued. “I want the same thing you do, believe me. I really do, but we are in the most dangerous place known to man. Once we reach the other side safely, you may have me anyway you like. For now, let’s be content that we even have each other at all.”

“Do you swear it?” Gabriel pressed.

“I swear it.” you replied with a nod of your head. 

“Very well, then,” he acknowledged, as you yawned. Gabriel walked back over and grabbed his sword and scabbard, belting it back around his waist. “You need to rest. I will keep watch and make sure the fire stays burning.”

“Don’t you need rest too?”

Gabriel smiled softly. “I can go days without sleep, mi amor. Rest well so we can be off at first light.”

“I love you.” you said as you laid down in front of the fire, folding your arms beneath your head. Another yawn escaped you and you knew you were really in need of some sleep.

“I love you too.” Gabriel replied, sitting down next to you. “Get some sleep.”

Your exhaustion combined with the warmth from the fire lulled you into a deep and peaceful slumber.


	13. Chapter 13

As soon as it was light enough the next morning, Gabriel and you set off. It wouldn’t be too much longer until you reached the other side of the swamp. Gabriel let you know that the two of you would be home free by late afternoon. The thought of that alone kept you motivated despite the lingering exhaustion from everything you’d been through.

However, you wondered what it would be like after you made it out of the swamp. Gabriel’s ship was waiting at the other end and he’d have to see that someone took his position. From what he’d told you about handing the Reaper legacy off, it could easily be surmised that would take some time-- time you didn’t want to share now knowing he was alive.

As well as that, you would also have to deal with your engagement to Prince Morrison. You couldn’t go through with the arrangement now that you had Gabriel. It was possible he would understand the predicament, but there was also a good chance he’d not easily let you go free. After all, he’d paid a handsome sum to keep your family’s farm running and you were a vital part to his upcoming coronation. To expect him to throw that all away was asking for more than you should.

If it were possible, you and Gabriel could simply stay here in the Black Swamp for the rest of your days. Despite its dangers, the two of you had managed to survive thus far. It avoided dealing with the complications that waited at the other side of this whole situation, but it was uncertain whether you would last much longer here despite your survival to this point. You’d be without your family and many of the comforts of a regular life. Giving that all up did not seem all too bad, but you weren’t sure you could do it.

“What’s on your mind?” Gabriel asked, pulling you from your worried mind. He’d slowed his pace to walk by your side, a concerned expression on his face. “I couldn’t help but notice you seeming lost in thought.”

“Its nothing.” you lied, not wishing to create problems. You had your concerns, but you knew that, no matter what, you’d be able to face them with Gabriel by your side. He shouldn’t have to worry about you any more than he already had. Reaching out a hand to rest on the forearm closest to you, you gave him a soft reassuring smile. “I’m still a little tired is all.”

Gabriel stopped, causing you to as well. “If you were still tired, you should have said something.” Gabriel sighed with a shrug and a look of guilt. You felt a twinge in your chest for lying to him, but you couldn’t easily take it back now. “I pushed you hard yesterday and I should have made sure you were comfortable with the pace I’ve set. If you need to, we can stop and rest some more. An hour would still leave us plenty of time to reach the other side of the swamp before sundown.”

“No. We can keep going.” you said. When Gabriel looked as if he were to try and convince you to rest, you stopped him before he could. “Really, I am fine. We should try and be out of this place as soon as we can.”

Gabriel opened his mouth, then closed it again. He inhaled and then let out a deep breath before finally speaking.

“If you say so, mi amor.” 

You felt awful for lying. You wanted to take it back. You considered doing so momentarily, but the chance to do so passed as Gabriel brushed past you to lead the way.

_ I’m a fool _ \-- you thought as you turned and took a step forward.

With that single step, you found yourself falling through the ground itself. You let out a gasped cry before the earth swallowed you whole. 

The moment you sank beneath the ground, you knew that you’d stepped into one of the two remaining dangers you and Gabriel hadn’t faced yet-- the Black Sand Pits. They were one of the most well-hidden dangers of the swamp, as they blended in seamlessly with the dark ground. Much like quicksand, the black sand captured those that set foot in it. However, it was far more dangerous. Black sand was far more liquid-like than it’s similar friend, meaning the prey it captured sank at a much faster rate.

You’d screwed your eyes shut, trying to keep the sand out of your eyes at least. It had already managed to fill your ears, dulling your hearing, and your nose and mouth. You held your breath, doing your best not to let the fine yet coarse sand into your lower airway, but it wouldn’t be too long before you’d either gasp for oxygen and it would be all over. The sound of the sand pit swallowing you, despite being dulled by your ears being filled, was like the thundering roar of a waterfall. It felt like standing beneath one as well, the pressure on your body as you sank endlessly into the ground. The sand rubbed against your soft skin, feeling like millions of needles poking at it but never penetrating, irritating it as you sank.

Fear had your heart racing, which did not help you with holding your breath. With every passing second, you could feel the lack of oxygen as sharp pains in your lungs, a dull ache behind your tightly shut eyes, and a growing tingling in all your nerves. You reached your arms up and outwards, hoping to catch on something to stop your descent. Fingers clawed at nothing, grabbing fistfuls of sand and bits of twigs and pebbles. There seemed to be no bounds to this pit and you could not stop or slow your descent.

Your heartbeat thundered in your ears and black spots swam beneath your closed eyes. The pain in your lungs was agonizing now and you could feel consciousness slipping away from you. Your head felt light and the rest of your body like a weight that only helped the sand pit drag you faster. The sensation of the sand on your skin of your extremities slowly numbed until you couldn’t feel them at all. 

If you were able to cry, you would have. You knew this was how you were going to die and it hurt knowing Gabriel had been yours again for such a short time. All you wanted was more time and when it seemed the world would hand it to you, it went and tore it away from you. Gabriel would likely come to your rescue-- he probably was, but you could feel your mind fading fast. If he didn’t save you, he would be left alone again and you couldn’t bear the thought of that.

Unable to hold your breath any longer, you gasped and inhaled nothing but sand. You choked on it as it mercilessly filled your airway, gasping and gagging. Your throat itched and your lungs burned fiercely, but unconsciousness was setting in. You were growing fainter and fainter with each passing second, knowing it would all be over soon. You even seemed to be slowing some, likely reaching the bottom of the pit. That thought brought you some comfort, but it also stabbed you in the chest like a knife.

As your mind slipped into nothingness, you reached a hand up high and thought of Gabriel’s strong hand taking hold of it.

**…**

Gabriel cursed himself for walking away so quickly as he reached up and cut a long vine with his sword. He tugged on it, giving him plenty of slack for what he was about to do. This was his fault and he would rather die than face a world without you in it. Saving you was his only choice.

When he’d heard your gasp and turned to see the tips of your fingers sink beneath the ground, he knew your time was limited. The Black Sand Pits were by far the most dangerous of the Black Swamp’s perils. Whatever breath you had when you’d been swallowed is all you’d have. There was no saying how long it would be before the sand managed to suffocate you after that. If he didn’t act fast enough, you could reach the bottom of the pit and he’d be hopeless to save you. It was possible he’d follow you shortly after.

There was no time to be wasted. Holding the vine tightly in his hand, he took a deep breath and dove headfirst into the pit. The ground swallowed him and he kicked his legs, hoping it would propel him downwards. With his free hand, he stretched out his arm and swept the area, blindly looking for you. 

Fear of the sand pit was the furthest thing from his mind. Rather, it was the fear of losing you that gripped his mind. He could remain calm in the face of danger. Years of pirating had already seen that to fruition, but he had never stopped grappling with the agonizing and all-consuming terror of never seeing you again. When nightmares plagued his sleep, they were always of harm befalling you and him being powerless to stop it. He dreamed of the faces of men he’d seen die, but it was you in their place. 

Nothing had scared him more than when he’d learned of your kidnapping. The thought of someone taking you and not knowing what it was they intended set his rescue mission in motion. He tossed aside the fact you were engaged to another man and left his ship to pursue those that had stolen you away. He would gladly do the same thing a million times over if it meant ensuring your safety.

Down and down he dove, fighting with every bit of his strength to save you. He could feel his lack of oxygen starting to take effect, the pain in his chest and the numbness creeping into his extremities. The rush of adrenaline was helping him to stay conscious, but it would not last much longer. You had to be close. He wouldn’t think of anything else until it became so, until you were safe in his grasp and he pulled the two of you from the sand pit.

Seconds ticked by and his head felt light. Gabriel could barely feel his fingers now and if it weren’t for the vine wrapped up his arm, he would have thought he’d let go of the thing. The consistency of the pit grew thicker and it became harder to move. He had slowed considerably and he feared he was getting close to the bottom. If he found you now, there was no saying if he could get the two of you back to the surface. He would try his damnedest and, if he failed, at least he would join you in the afterlife.

By some miracle, he found your outstretched hand, still warm but unmoving. He quickly closed his hand around yours and pulled as hard as he could. The exertion pushed him to his limit and he was forced to let his breath go. As sand was inhaled, he dragged you close to him, wrapping your arms around his neck. He’d found you and he was not going to give up on saving you until he drew his final sand-filled breath.

Muscles tensing and straining, he pulled his weight combined with yours up using the vine. His legs kicked relentlessly, hoping it would help his efforts. With every passing second, he silently prayed to reach the surface. Even if you both died upon reaching the surface, at least you wouldn’t be trapped here in the pit for the rest of eternity.

His body was slowly growing weaker. He couldn’t breathe and he knew by the swirling spots behind his closed eyelids that his consciousness was escaping him. Movement became difficult but he persisted, determined as ever. 

That determination paid off as he pulled himself to the surface, gasping and coughing as oxygen rushed into his burning lungs. He wasted no time in bringing you above the surface, dragging the two of you out of the sand pit. Rolling you out onto the ground so you were lying supine, he scrambled out and leaned over you.

Sand encrusted your blue-tinted lips and dotted your eyelids which already showed signs of suffocation with bruise-like petechiae. He pressed an ear to your chest over where your heart would be, listening for it’s steady pulse. No sound echoed in your chest, not even the faintest of breaths. He sat up, pulling you with him and shaking your shoulders while calling your name.

Tears welled up in his eyes and fell freely as he begged for you to come back to him. He felt helpless with your lifeless body in his arms, guilty and ashamed that he’d failed to save you. You slipped from his grasp and landed with a resounding thud in front of him whilst he gasped painfully in dread and melancholy.

“(Y/n).” he sobbed, a hand coming to rest on your cheek which was blurred from his tears. “I’m so--”

A cough erupted from your once eerily still body and your eyes shot open, alive by the grace of whatever mysterious forces were watching over you.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As one of my reader's said:  
> But what about the ROUS's?

That first breath felt like fire in your lungs. You sputtered and coughed, gagging as the sand you inhaled expelled itself from your lungs. Your eyes shot open, sand falling from your eyelashes as you took in the familiar sight of the canopy above the Black Swamp. It felt as if you’d been kicked by a horse, like you’d had the life nearly drained from your body before having it violently sucked back into you.

Aside from recovering from suffocating and nearly dying, there was one more thing your senses had grounded you to-- Gabriel. He had come to your rescue for a third time and, based on your current state, had nearly lost you. The feeling of his warm hand cupping your cheek pulled you back from the hazy state your mind was in, your eyes rolling to look upon him. 

He was smiling down at you, covered in the accursed black sand, but alive. His tears had left trails on his cheeks and you wished you had the strength to wipe the remainders of them. It hurt your heart to realize he had cried for you. Something about seeing him like this was touching and it made you feel bad for stepping into danger yet again. You opened your mouth to thank him for saving you, but only managed a hoarse cough that you formed into his name.

“Gabriel.” 

Gabriel hushed you, putting a finger to your lips. “It is alright. You’re safe.” He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to your forehead. Remaining there, you felt the warmth of his breath ghost across your face and listened to the words he whispered softly to you. “We’re going to make it together. I promised you that and I intend to keep it.”

“Gabriel.” you said again, this time a little easier than the last. A shuddering cough still preceded your lover’s name, but it was clearer than before. Your numb limbs were slowly starting to regain feeling. The sensation was something unfamiliar to you, but you waited patiently for your body to regain it’s sense of touch.

“I thought I’d lost you again.” Gabriel admitted, sitting up. He helped you to do the same, leaning you against him, your head resting against his shoulder. “I couldn’t bear to think of a life without you, (y/n). If you’d… if you’d been dead, I could not have continued living.”

His words cut you deep to the core. You knew his devotion to you, his love and adoration, but hearing it aloud like this felt like a blade to your heart. His honesty sliced your heart open, the confession of his fear bringing you so much closer to the man you loved. Tears threatened to spill from your eyes now, but you kept them at bay.

“We should rest for a while.” Gabriel said. “Just to be sure you are recovered from nearly dying and so that you may regain your strength.” 

You nodded your head in agreement, allowing yourself to relax a bit more.

“Do you need anything?” Gabriel asked.

You huffed in place of a short laugh, turning your head so that your ear was pressed up against Gabriel’s chest. His heart thumped rhythmically from within his body, the sound comforting you and proving to you that, he too, was alive.

“A drink.” you answered jokingly, knowing there wasn’t a drop of alcohol in this place. Hell, there wasn’t even a clean source of water here either. 

“We can have one when we reach the Revenge, I promise.” Gabriel said with a short chuckle at your humor. “Along with a bath to rid us of that blasted sand and a filling meal. Anything you wish for, it shall be yours, princesa.”

The thought of bathing and feeling clean for the first time in days sounded absolutely delightful. A filling meal sounded just as pleasant and you shut your eyes, thinking of how happy you would be with both of those things. The happiest thought of all, however, was that you wouldn’t feel alone ever again. Gabriel was yours. You were his. There was nothing that could stop that from being so.

Once you reached the Revenge, there was no saying where your lives would take you. You’d happily follow Gabriel to the ends of the earth, braving dangers and the unknown, as long as you remained at his side. There was no doubt in your mind that he would do the same, as he’d risked his life for yours on numerous occasions now. 

Gabriel sighed and glanced around the area. “At least we've faced the dangers of the Black Swamp and know what to expect now.” Gabriel voiced. “The Flame Spurts give themselves away by their popping sound prior to them going off. You stumbled upon the Black Sand, so we can now avoid those in the future. Reaching the other side of the swamp will be no hard task now.”

Your face twisted in confusion. “What about the creatures of unusual size, Gabriel?”

The Black Swamp was home to many creatures. It had been said that the wild and untouched place gave these animals the room needed to evolve and grow to sizes unheard of. Spiders could become the size of a rat and rats could become the size of a large dog. There were even stories of odd mutations occuring, where these unusually sized animals obtained human-like qualities. Some believed it was the work of a witch that cursed humans to become monsters, half man and half beast, while others thought it was just the work of the volatility of the swamp habitat. Nevertheless, no one could say for sure whether such stories were true as no one had lived to tell the tale.

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders and looked back to you. “Creatures of unusual size? I don’t believe they exist.”

As if to challenge that point, there came a loud cry of some creature off in the distance. The gruesome sound echoed through the swamp until it faded to nothing. You weren’t so sure Gabriel was right in tossing aside the third danger as something to not be concerned with, but you would trust him for now. He would keep you safe whether there were spiders the size of rats or rats the size of dogs. 

After resting a while longer, you felt you had regained your strength. The sun had climbed higher in the sky and it wouldn’t stay put if you waited too long. Your happy ending waited at the other side of the swamp and you wanted so desperately to get there. Gabriel helped you to your feet, making sure you were steady on them after your discovery of the sand pit, before taking your hand in his and leading the way.

He had spoken so much about his time away from you, it had dawned on him that he had not considered asking you about what you’d done in his absence. While you walked, you told him of your misery upon his departure and then your utter despair when he had supposedly died at sea. It had taken you days to process it all, much of that time spent weeping in your room completely inconsolable. After those days, you did your best to move forward and put everything you could into your work around the farm.

Up until the last season’s harvest, the profits from the farm had been just fine. A few of the harvests had not generated a large profit, but it had been enough to get by until the next season. You told him of how your family had fallen on hard times and then how it had been Prince Morrison who reached out to help it.

While you talked about Prince Morrison, you noticed the expression on Gabriel’s face turn sour. He had done much to mask his distaste for the prince, but it still was not enough to keep you from recognizing it when you uttered a single word in favor of the man. You were understanding of his feelings towards the man you were still engaged to despite your plan to elope with Gabriel the second you made it safely to the other side of the swamp. If he had found someone else during his time as part of the Dread Pirate Reaper’s crew, you knew you would feel the same.

Your mind drifted momentarily to his response last night after you’d put an end to his devious, yet not completely unwanted, advances. Gabriel had been concerned that you’d given your body to the prince as part of his deal to save your family’s farm, amongst marrying him. While it was true the prince had been taken by your looks, he had not asked for much more than your hand in marriage. He had not asked that you love him, though he’d resorted to fancy gifts to try and sway you to. None of those gifts mattered to you. At the time, your own happiness had not mattered either. You were most concerned with the fate of the place you were raised and of the loving people who had raised you.

Gabriel, on the other hand, had spent his days thinking of how he would return to you. You were his will to live, the reason why he had been spared by the merciless Dread Pirate Reaper, and the only person he loved so deeply. Somewhere, you had heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but loneliness still sets in where it can. For five long years, Gabriel’s fondness for you only grew, his loneliness only stoking the love he held for you. It dawned on you then that he would feel so hostile for someone even thinking they could steal you a”way from him.

You slowed, your hand gripping Gabriel’s so that he would stop. He turned to you, looking to you inquisitively. “Gabriel, I--” you started before your nerves choked you up momentarily and kept you from finishing. Dropping your gaze to the ground, you turned your foot back and forth nervously. “I know I already apologized for thinking you died, but I just want to make sure you understand the depth of my regret.”

Letting out a soft sigh, you continued.

“I love you. Only you. I never stopped and I never will for as long as I live.” you explained. “Prince Morrison was a means of saving my family, but I could never love him. When we reach the other side of the swamp, we can deal with breaking off the engagement. My family will manage somehow. We always have. What matters most to me is feeling happy and that means being with you, because I haven’t been happy since the day I believed you dead.”

Gabriel looked at you with a smile-- he believed you and, perhaps, even understood your motives a bit better now. He stepped towards you, a hand reaching out to brush across your cheek. He said your name and his eyes moved from yours briefly. “(Y/n), I…” he trailed off. 

“Let us be happy together, Gabriel.” you said, pressing closer to him with your head tilting up to keep your eyes on his. Your hands fisted in his shirt and you raised up on your tiptoes, waiting for him to lean down and capture your lips like he always did. 

In an instant, you were tossed from him and sent tumbling to the ground a foot or two away from him. The momentary shock from such an action had your mind reeling, but you were brought back after hitting the ground with a soft thud. Anger rose up in you and you had half a mind to throttle Gabriel for toying with you like that. Upon catching yourself, you flipped around, ready to give your love a piece of your mind. The scene before you kept you from saying anything, however.

Gabriel was grappling with the very thing he had sworn off believing existed. A giant rat, nearly the size of Gabriel himself, was clawing and trying to attack him. The sounds it made sent a shock of fear through your body, as well as the sight of the sharp claws at the ends of its paws and the jagged teeth jutting from it’s gaping mouth. Mud brown fur covered it’s entire body except for the flesh colored tail that was thrashing behind it. Black beady eyes were trained on Gabriel as it struggled to reach him and cause harm.

You watched helplessly as the two fought, Gabriel holding it far enough away from him that neither could quite break loose or attack. At some point, Gabriel decided to try getting out from under the absurdly sized rodent by allowing it closer. That proved to be a mistake as it slipped from Gabriel’s hold and sank its teeth into his forearm. Gabriel let out a cry which grew louder as the rat clamped it’s jaw tighter.

You glanced around, spotting a thick branch that was easy to hold. Picking it up, you brandished it and moved closer to the ongoing fight, ready to use it if need be. Before you could get close enough to use your newfound weapon, Gabriel tossed a punch that landed with a crack against the side of the rat’s face. It let out a squeal of pain and let go of Gabriel’s arm, rolling off of him.

In the midst of the fight, Gabriel had lost hold of his sword which he started to scramble for. The large rat did not let him get far before it resumed its attack. Jaw gaping wide and ready to sink yet again into human flesh, it crawled over his body and reared its head back momentarily. Gabriel caught it’s jaws, one in each hand, effectively keeping it from biting down and harming him. 

Gabriel grappled with it for a few seconds more before rolling both of them over. The movement disoriented the rat enough for Gabriel to toss it from him. He scrambled to his feet and reached for his sword. Meanwhile, the rat climbed back to its feet and turned with a hiss and a vicious growl. It’s wild eyes fixed on you and charged.

“Gabriel!” you cried out, stepping back until your back hit the trunk of a tree. The rat’s enormous paws threw dirt into the air behind it as it ran at you, snarling viciously. You swung the branch at it, but it did not deter the creature one bit. Unable to stop it, the rat snapped its teeth and managed to catch the skirt of your dress. You shoved the end of your branch at it’s snout, poking hard in hopes that it would do something to help your situation.

Gabriel was quick to come to your rescue, abandoning his blade and grabbing the tail of the rat to pull it away from you. You watched it’s clawed feet try to dig into the ground to keep it from moving, but failed to do so. With another swing of your branch, hitting it just below one of its eyes, Gabriel was able to pull it away from you. The sound of your skirt tearing further met your ears, but you couldn’t let your eyes wander to it.

The rat managed to climb back over the top of Gabriel after he had rolled the two of them yet again. It quickly sank its teeth into Gabriel’s shoulder, drawing another pained cry from your love. This time, Gabriel struggled to fend it off. It held fast to him and you saw the blood welling up from the wound, staining Gabriel’s skin and the yellowed teeth of the rat. 

Just then, there came the familiar popping sound of a Flame Spurt. Gabriel’s head turned to where it had come from, just two short feet from where he laid upon the ground. With a determined look, Gabriel rolled both him and the rat one last time. He had timed his move perfectly, the rat landing against the ground above the Flame Spurt just as it went off. It cried out, letting go of Gabriel as it was engulfed by the burst of fire.

When the flames died back down, the rat struggled to climb to its feet. It didn’t get far before Gabriel approached after he had climbed to his feet and retrieved his sword. Gabriel kicked the creature, drawing a yelp from the wounded beast. Drawing back his arm, he shoved the end of his blade into the rodent three times. Each thrust drew a cry from the animal who had mangled Gabriel until the third when it finally lay completely still-- dead.

Gabriel stood over it, his sword held in the hand of the arm the rat had bit into. Trails of blood ran down his arm and dropped from where it caught on the hilt of his blade. It weighed his shirt down and made it stick to the wound. As for the other place the teeth of the creature had sank into, the bleeding wounds on his shoulder poked out from the tear the teeth had created.

You rushed over, dropping the branch in the process, your worry for Gabriel taking over. Before you could reach him, Gabriel held out a hand to stop you. “I am fine, my love.” he said, though you could hear the pain in his voice. He sheathed his sword and turned to face you, giving you a smile that broke your heart. “Are you alright? It didn’t hurt you too, did it?”

You shook your head before looking down to where it had grabbed hold of your dress. The tear that had already been there was now mirrored on the other side, your other knee and part of your lower thigh visible. You grabbed your skirts and lifted them, showing it to Gabriel. “See?”

Gabriel visibly relaxed, but there was still tension in his body as if he expected another rat to come leaping at him from the underbrush. “We should press onward.” he said, motioning for you to move closer and leaving his hand out for you to take it. “Others might come looking for him and we shouldn’t wait around for them.”

“Your shoulder and your arm, Gabriel.” you said, worried about his lack of concern for his wounds. “You’re injured.”

“I’ve had worse, mi amor.” Gabriel shrugged, his words aimed to comfort you but failing to do so. You took his hand and stepped forward, bringing your other hand up to brush the dirt from around his bloodied shoulder. Your fingers slid across his skin gently, his warm blood coating the tips of them. Gabriel caught your hand with his free one, pulling it from his shoulder as he shot a stone-cold expression your way. “I will be fine.”

“Like hell you will!” you snapped, your anger bubbling up from seemingly nowhere. Your worry for him shouldn’t be brushed off like this. You didn’t want him to truly end up dead and leave you to the life of unhappiness you thought you’d been bound to already. Taking a deep breath, you continued with a more serious yet softer voice. “Let me see your shoulder and your arm. At least let me help to staunch the bleeding before we continue. Please, Gabriel.”

He didn’t look at you and he didn’t move away from you, but he released your hands and dropped them to his sides.

“Go ahead.” he said defeatedly. 

You guided him over to a fallen tree, pushing on his uninjured shoulder and getting him to sit there. As you kneeled in front of him, you wished you had some clean water or some alcohol to clean the wounds, but knew that you would have to make due without. Your dress was already torn and, while it wasn’t the cleanest dressing, it would have to do. With a firm tug on the fabric, it ripped and tore across two inches above the hem. 

“What are you doing?” Gabriel asked, somehow surprised by your action. “Your dress wasn’t torn enough for you?”

You rolled your eyes and lifted the strip of fabric to his shoulder, wrapping it around the wound as much as you could. “I’m dressing your wound, Gabriel.” you explained. “To hell with my dress. I didn’t like it that much anyways.”

“Tear it much more and you’ll practically be naked.” Gabriel teased. Your cheeks flushed, but you paid him no mind. You tied off the fabric at his shoulder, knowing it probably wouldn’t hold for too long, but that it was better than letting it continue to bleed freely. Tearing another strip of fabric from your dress, you quickly made work of the wound on his forearm. Gabriel watched you intently as you saw to his forearm, noting the sour expression on your face. “I’m sorry for worrying you, (y/n).”

“It’s fine.” you said, knotting the fabric to hold it to his arm. A glance up at Gabriel brought you face to face with him. He had leaned down and his other hand found one of yours, holding it firmly. 

“Is it?” Gabriel tested, his eyes never leaving yours.

You swallowed the lump that had risen to your throat suddenly and looked away. It was not fair. He knew that you were not okay despite trying your hardest to hide it from him. You had been scared to death when Gabriel was attacked by the creature and you had done nothing to help. You had blindly stepped into the black sand pit and nearly been lit aflame by a flame burst. The only reason you were still alive at all was because Gabriel had been there to save you. When he was in danger, you had been powerless to stop harm from befalling him.

“Hey.” Gabriel said, getting your attention.

You let your shoulders drop and you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding in. Stealing a look at Gabriel, you noted the worried expression on his face. “I couldn’t do anything.” you finally admitted. “You were hurt because I couldn’t do something.”

“I hardly see why that matters.” Gabriel responded. “I would take on a hundred of those beasts if it meant seeing you unharmed. You could not do anything and it would not have been wise to throw yourself needlessly into danger, my love.”

“But--”

“But nothing.” Gabriel interrupted, pulling you to him. “What’s done is done and we must press forward. Dwelling on it will not make you feel any less responsible for something you could not have stopped.”

You nodded in agreement. 

Gabriel assessed his newly dressed wounds and squeezed your hand. “Thank you for tending to me.” he said before pressing a soft kiss to your temple. You felt butterflies stir in your belly from his sweetness. He stood and hauled you up with him with his uninjured arm. “It shouldn’t be much further now. Our freedom awaits us.”

“Let’s not waste a moment then.” you added, knowing it wouldn’t be too much longer until you and Gabriel would leave the dangerous Black Swamp. From there, you knew that your life would be complete and you’d be by his side for the rest of your days. There wasn’t anything in the world that would bring you as much happiness as that knowledge.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: Things get steamy in this chapter, as in smut, my dear readers.  
> There is also some plot, which is great as well.  
> Enjoy one or the other or both!

Prince Morrison couldn’t sit still in his tent. He was pouring over preparations for his wedding and coronation, but his mind was far from either of those events. It had been a day since his men and him had set up a camp at the other end of the Black Swamp, laying in wait for your kidnapper and, hopefully, you. Despite having much to do, Jack simply couldn’t keep his thoughts from drifting to you. Worry clouded his mind and he couldn’t help but think of something happening to you in the swamp and never seeing you again.

Moira had done her best to calm his nerves. The advisor was also wise with medicines and had put together a herbal tea for the prince to drink to put him at ease. She’d advised him to rest and focus on flushing out the plans for the coming month, that constantly worrying would do nothing but bring unnecessary stress to the prince. Even after drinking the tea and the reassurances from his advisor, Prince Morrison still felt restless. 

Rising from his desk, he walked over to the flap of his tent. Opening it with an outstretched hand, he continued forward and out to the rest of the camp. His men were doing various tasks, patrolling or tending to their weapons and armors. Others sat around fires, warming their fingers and toes from the autumn chill that was ever present. They bowed or gave respectful nods as their prince passed, never daring to speak against his decision for them to be here.

Moira was in her tent, a book on magic open in one hand, when the prince found her. She held a reading glass in her other hand, assisting her single eye in reading the ancient text. As the prince entered the tent, she glanced up from her book momentarily before returning to it. “I don’t mean to be rude, my prince, but don’t you have plans to go over for the wedding next month?” she asked, flipping a page of her book mindlessly. 

“I’ve worked on them some, as well as the coronation ceremony.” Prince Morrison answered, wandering around the witch's tent, doing what he’d done so many times before. The woman kept all sorts of objects for her craft-- bottles of herbs and prepared medicines, poisons, magically empowered items, and other oddities. Any time he visited her, he couldn’t help but examine the things she kept close at hand, fascinated at her skill and the strange things she kept. Many feared her for what she was, but he didn’t and for good reason. 

When he was young, the prince had fallen very ill. It took weeks of examinations of healers and physicians to pinpoint the sickness that had claimed his body. By the time they had figured out what it was that had claimed the prince, it was far too late for them to cure him. The court physician, who some called a miracle worker, who had headed the examinations of the prince and deliberated with the outside help, prescribed herbal remedies and strong medicines to comfort the prince in his remaining days knowing there was nothing she could possibly do. This was not the answer the prince’s parents were looking for and they fired the woman for giving up so easily.

They sent word for a witch that was said to have created a cure for the plague that had once diminished the population of Overton. She was believed to be a very powerful and wise being and the prince’s parents cared not for the title she’d been given if it meant there was something more she could do for their son. It was not long after they made it known she was wanted before the woman showed up at the castle. She wasted no time and quickly set to work curing the prince.

When he began to recover, the king and queen realized the asset they would have if they kept the witch in their employ. Upon the success of her treatment of the prince, the witch asked for her payment so she could continue her travels. The king and queen paid the woman, but offered her a position in the court and continued payment if she remained at their disposal. Moira had declined their offer at first, but soon realized the benefits. She was asked to be the prince’s advisor and the physician for the royal family, a very prestigious position. It would give her power and the ability to fund her work for the rest of her days. Not accepting the king and queens offer would be the biggest mistake of her life, so she took their offer.

The woman was powerful and wise. Prince Morrison had been ever indebted to the woman who had saved his life. Where he went, she was to follow. When he needed an ear, she was there to listen. If it was advice he was looking for, Moira was there with words of wisdom to guide the prince. He trusted no one else as much as he trusted in his advisor, which was why she was always the first person he came to when something troubled him.

Moira shut her book and set it aside, sitting up in her chair and facing the prince. “You are still running yourself rampant over the princess’ kidnapping.” Moira pointed out, knowing exactly why the prince had come to her. “I told you to focus on other things for now. There is nothing we can do.”

“We could send a scout team into the swamp.” the prince argued, fighting to do something more active to secure his bride’s safety. “No more than ten men, Moira. That is all I am asking.”

“Your highness, needlessly sacrificing your men to the swamp will not paint you as the beneficent ruler you should be.” Moira replied calmly. Prince Morrison dropped his head hearing her words, knowing that she was correct. With his coronation a month away, allowing his men to walk straight into danger would not make his subjects happy. The morale of his soldiers would also suffer. “We will lay in wait as we’ve already discussed.”

“I just can’t help but think of the horrors she’s facing in there.” Prince Morrison admitted. “The Black Swamp is the most treacherous place on Earth.”

“I am well aware, your highness.”

“Isn’t there something you can do?” the prince questioned, desperate for even the smallest assurance that you were safe. “With all your knowledge and powers, you must have something that can tell us if she’s even alive.”

“That isn’t how my magic works, Prince Morrison.” Moira said harshly. Rising from her cushioned seat, she paced over to a table covered in vials of various herbs and concoctions. Her fingers dragged across their corked tops, eventually coming to rest upon one with a mixture the color of rubies. She picked it up and swirled it around, stirring up flecks of black that had settled at the bottom of the bottle. “I can give you something to help you sleep. I can give you something to relax. I can give you something to put your mind miles away from where it currently is, but I cannot do anything to tell whether (y/n) is safe or not. I wish I could, but it is just not possible.”

Prince Morrison let out a grunt of frustration, his temper growing impatient with his advisors refusal to do something. He wanted to believe she was being honest, but something itched at his conscience telling him that something was untruthful in her words. “What use are you to me if you can’t do this one thing I am asking you to?” he huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. “I should have gone with her. None of this would have happened if I’d been there.”

“You’ve gone in circles about this, Prince Morrison.” Moira said. “Give it a rest. You are only putting yourself under more stress.”

“Then do something!” the prince snapped.

Moira stared at the angered prince, completely unmoved by his anger. She set the vial in her hands down and returned to her seat, picking up her book from where she’d left it. Flipping it open to where she’d left off, she sat back down before glancing back to the prince who was still looking at her. She rose an eyebrow at him, knowing it would draw a response.

“Moira.” His use of only her name was a word of warning if she continued to ignore him.

“Good day, your highness.” she said and turned back to her book, realizing she’d left her reading glass on the table of her medicines.

She didn’t rise to get it until the flap of her ten flew open and fell back shut as the prince stormed off. 

**…**

The sun had dipped lower in the sky and Gabriel assured you that they should be reaching the other side of the swamp soon. You had only stopped to rest once, using that time to adjust the makeshift dressings for Gabriel’s injuries. If you didn’t rest again soon, you believed your feet would fall off and be lost to the swamp forever.

Currently, the two of you found yourself in a narrow path with the rocky edges of the ravine on either side of you. The forest behind you was not something you would miss, but you did not enjoy navigating the rocky and uneven path you were on. Gabriel made sure to help you, warning you of loose ground or to steady you with his hands when the ground was impossibly difficult to walk across. 

As two of you continued onward, a quiet roar grew louder and louder. The two also made note of the moss on the sides of the ravine that became continuously more present. Even the atmosphere changed, the air becoming warmer and more humid. Gabriel cautioned you when the ground became wet and made sure to keep you from falling. You scrunched your nose when the scent of rotten eggs met your nose, but it was not too unpleasant of a smell to keep you from moving forward.

Eventually, the two of you reached the end of the narrow path. When you saw that it opened ahead of you, you couldn’t have been happier. The source of the rumbling roar was just beyond where the path widened and you were curious as to what it was. As you stepped out of the narrow path, you turned your gaze to the right. The sight that you were met with left you speechless. 

A waterfall tumbled from the top of the ravine, rushing over the it’s rocky wall. There were offshoots of the waterfall where the side of the ravine stuck out more. It’s water was a beautiful blue-green color and it cascaded into a pool at the bottom. Steam billowed off the top of the pool and as a breeze brushed at your skin, it carried the scent of rotten eggs.

“What is that smell?” you said, turning your head and holding your nose with your fingers.

Gabriel looked back at you and chuckled. He held out his hand to you and you took it with the one not currently keeping the awful scent from reaching your senses. You almost pulled away when you realized he was leading you towards the water, but he held your hand tightly. “It’s a hot spring.” he said as you moved closer. He dropped your hand and walked to the water’s edge, dipping his fingers in and looking up at the top of the waterfall. “Though I’ve never seen one like this. It’s beautiful.”

It truly was beautiful, other than the smell of course. The area was the greenest you’d seen, especially given the time of year it was. Grass and moss grew in thick patches. As you looked closer, you noticed little flowers that were still in bloom this late in the season all around. The leaves on the trees were just barely changing color and the ones that had fallen created a beautiful display against the lushness of the place. Taking it all in, you were almost sad to be leaving the swamp. 

You glanced back to Gabriel and almost had to do a double take, but stopped yourself and turned around immediately.

“What do you think you’re doing, Gabe?” you asked, heat rushing to your face after what you had just seen.

Gabriel laughed. “I want to take a dip.” he responded. His torn and bloodied shirt flew past you, landing a steps distance from where you stood. “Care to join me?”

You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to fight off the memory of the vision you’d caught just moments before. Gabriel had untied the strips of red fabric you’d dressed his wounds in and was sliding his hands below the hem of his shirt. You’d caught him with the thing halfway up his torso, his chiseled abs and tanned skin painted with a smattering of curly dark hair staring at you. It had been years since you’d seen Gabriel shirtless and you could not have prepared yourself for it in such a short time.

“(Y/n)?” Gabriel called out, snapping you out of your thoughts. Taking a deep breath, you turned around slowly until you were facing him, although your eyes were glued to the ground at his feet which were still in his boots. It was warm already thanks to the hot springs, but you were warm for an entirely different reason. Your face felt flushed and you swore you could feel a bead of sweat run down the back of your neck. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just thought it would be nice to get rid of the sand that’s worked its way into places I didn’t know existed.”

You dared to look up, your eyes following Gabriel’s thick and muscular legs that were still, thankfully, clothed. His stomach came into view and you felt your insides twist at his toned abdomen. Further up, his broad chest was bared to you, unabashedly handsome with dark round nipples that were erect in the open air. His arms, muscled and defined, hung at his sides, also covered with his dark hair. Your eyes drifted over his wounds which were still red and irritated, but the bleeding had long since stopped.

Continuing your path, you followed his collarbones to the hollow of his thick neck. Stubble covered his Adam’s apple and the beautifully angled chin of his. From there, your eyes were drawn to his enticing mouth which was pursed, awaiting your response. The set of soft yet rough lips were pressed together and you could see the upward curl of their edges. Gabriel was enjoying you taking in the sight of him like this. Shyly, you looked to his eyes and felt yourself melt at the smoldering look he was giving you. 

“Find something you like, princesa?” he said, his voice rumbling in his chest and making your heart flutter. 

“Gabriel.” you said, his name passing your lips in a sigh.

“Join me.” he urged. “Please.”

_To hell with decorum_ \-- you thought to yourself. You slowly gathered your dress in your hands, bunching it up in your hands. When you had a hold of it, you pulled it up and over your head. Dropping the fabric to the ground, you were left in your undergarments and your riding boots. Your chemise billowed in the breeze, the soft linen allowing the wind to pass through and kiss your skin. Your stockings poked up above the top of your riding boots, the ends hidden by the end of your chemise. You stole a glance at Gabriel and had to look away for fear you’d be consumed by his hungered eyes.

“Go ahead without me.” you said, kneeling down to start untying a booted foot. You were nervous as you had ever been and needed just a few moments before going through with this. “I’ll be in once I get my boots and stockings off.”

Your hands shook as you undid the laces of your boot, fumbling with the strings and taking longer than it should have. It felt as if you’d just spent an hour trying to free your foot from its shoe and you knew the other one would not be any easier. As if to make things worse, your mouth had gone dry and your body still felt flushed with heat.

As you moved your hands over to your left foot, you were met with the sight of Gabriel’s untying your boot for you. You startled and looked up at Gabriel, who was looking solely at what he was doing with his hands. Only when he had finished untying and loosening your boot did he look up at you. Your heart hammered in your chest at his closeness and you nervously worried your lip. 

“There.” he said, his voice soft and low. “Join me when you are ready.”

Your mind was racing and you felt as if your heart would beat right out of your chest if you didn’t get it under control. You didn’t watch Gabriel walk away, fighting to keep yourself calm in the face of this, quite literally, steamy moment. Rather than focusing on what you were about to do, you turned your attention to gingerly removing your boots. They were filled with sand and you poured it all out as you removed them, creating a pile of the stuff. Your stockings were crusted in the sand and were dirty. You would have left them on but you knew how hard it was to get your feet into boots with wet stockings, so you refrained. 

When you set your stockings aside, you looked up and saw Gabriel already enjoying the hot spring. He splashed the water on his face, his eyes closed and his hair sticking to his forehead. You stood and walked over to the edge of the pool, the steam coming from it billowing around your ankles. Stopping at where your toes met the water, you looked again at Gabriel who was now looking at you.

Slowly, you walked forward, allowing the warm water to inch its way up your legs. It felt like heaven against your aching calves and you hardly noticed when the end of your chemise disappeared beneath the surface. Bliss crept up your thighs as the warm water enveloped your legs. The sand that had remained from your mishap from earlier drifted away in the water and you sighed, feeling cleaner than you had in days. Your toes stretched out, ready for something to stand on but the ground wasn’t there. You fell unceremoniously forward and into the pool. 

Your head dipped below the surface only to come back up a moment later, your hair now soaked and your body submerged below your neck. Thankful of knowing how to swim, you kicked your legs beneath you to keep your head above the surface. Gabriel was in front of you, treading water just as you were. You couldn’t believe how deep the pool actually was, that it was even deep enough Gabriel couldn’t stand here. 

“Are you alright?” Gabriel asked. “Sorry for not warning you about the drop there.”

“It’s all good.” you said, brushing your hands over your face and to the back of your head to clear it of water and any wet strands of hair that had stuck to your skin. “I should have been more careful.”

Gabriel moved closer and you retreated.

“Stay right there, Gabriel.” you cautioned, knowing very well how visible your body was beneath your chemise now that it was wet. Gabriel paused and eyed you mischievously inching closer and causing you to move backwards steadily. “I am being serious, Gabriel. I am practically naked.”

“I am aware.” Gabriel said, his eyes not leaving yours.

“Then why are you coming close?” you pushed, casting a glance from your periphery to make sure you weren’t running out of space to move to. Your eyes snapped back forward when Gabriel lunged forward, causing you to lean back and dodge out of the way of his reach. You shoved a handful of water at him, splashing water into his face. “Gabriel Reyes, so help me, I am not joking. It isn’t proper.”

“Nothing about what has happened the last few days is proper.” Gabriel shot back, the water you splashed at him still running in rivulets down his cheeks. He shook his head, clearing it of the water, while still pursuing you. “Kidnapped not once, but twice. You’ve kept the company of a stranger without being introduced. Not to mention that I am your lover and you are betrothed to someone else. This is just one more thing to add to the list, my dear.”

He wasn’t wrong, but you were still unsure of what either of you were playing at. You’d already voiced your concern over doing… _certain things_ here in the swamp, but the more you looked into Gabriel’s playful and hungered eyes, the less you felt you needed to remain withdrawn and ladylike.

Swimming backwards would only get you so far and you felt the back of your knees hit the ledge that bordered the pool beneath the water that you had stood upon before falling in. You’d swam yourself into a corner and Gabriel did not stop. He moved forward, closer and closer, even while you scurried on your palms and feet before you could not go any further without climbing out of the water. Your chest was above the water now, your chemise sticking heavily to your skin and revealing every curve of your body.

“Got you.” Gabriel teased as he climbed over the top of you, water dripping off of his chest and onto yours. He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips which you responded to in turn. Your lips melded together, tenderly and lovingly. A swipe of Gabriel’s hot tongue against your closed mouth had you parting your lips and allowing him to delve inside. He groaned, pushing himself closer to you. Your body felt almost too warm now, with the heated water beneath you and Gabriel warming you in other ways from above.

He pulled away, pressing a quick peck to the corner of your mouth. You watched as he swallowed, causing his Adam’s apple to bob on his neck. Your chest was heaving almost as much as his was. Something was stirring inside you and you weren’t sure you’d be able to stop it if he continued. His head tilted up, his eyes now level with yours. “(Y/n),” he started, his tone serious this time instead of playful. “We can stop here, if you want. I won’t push you to do anything you don’t want to.”

You rolled your option around in your head. It was likely the two of you wouldn’t be alone like this once you reached the Revenge. That didn’t even consider how you’d have to approach Jack about your relationship with Gabriel. Who knows when the next opportunity to be this close, to be this intimate, with Gabriel would be. You knew what you had said before, but in this place your worries seemed miles away. The dangers of the Black Swamp weren’t present here, so close to its border with the rest of the world. With your safety ensured, you knew what it was you wanted.

“Gabriel,” you said, your eyes peering up at him through water droplets that had gathered on your eyelashes, “I’m yours.”

Gabriel crashed his lips back against yours, kissing you more passionately. You pushed your body up against his, loving how well you fit against him and how he felt against you. He wrapped his injured arm at your back, holding the two of you up with just his good arm. Your tongues danced against one another’s, hot and urgent. 

Pressed against Gabriel, you soon realized that, whereas you still had your chemise on, Gabriel had disrobed himself entirely. That thought sent a shock of arousal straight to your core that pushed a moan out of your mouth and against your lover’s. He groaned in response, pulling back from the kiss and panting against your swollen lips.

Laying you back down into the shallow water, Gabriel inched downwards and his hands came to rest on your thighs at the hem of your chemise. He grasped the wet fabric and drew it up your body slowly, letting it drag against you as he took in every bit of skin that was exposed as he did so. When it reached your hips, you saw the flash of desire in Gabriel’s eyes as he took in your naked sex. He did not stop there, pulling it up until he was able to toss it to the shore and you were left naked.

“You’re beautiful.” he breathed, his mouth dropping to kiss your stomach, his eyes never leaving yours. You stared at him past your breasts, desperate for him to continue making your lower belly coil tighter and your body shake in anticipation. Between your legs, even with the water there, you could feel the heat and moisture your body was producing itself. 

“Please, Gabriel.” you panted, wanting more of him then you’d ever wanted before. “Touch me, please. Anywhere.”

Gabriel made a trail of kisses down your stomach, past your hip and down one thigh. He stopped about halfway down and his hands found their way to the insides of your knees, pushing your legs apart. His fingers ghosted over the soft skin of your things, inching closer and closer to your center. Tingles of pleasure shot through your legs, down to your toes, before echoing back up to collect in your core. 

When his fingers brushed your other lips you sighed loudly, finally feeling his touch. He ran his index and middle finger up and down your slit, the tips of them dipping between them and causing you to squirm from his ministrations. A buck of your hips caused his fingers to slip and bump against your aching clit.

“Oh god.” you breathed, screwing your eyes shut as stars exploded behind them.

Gabriel sank his two fingers into your heat, curling them up against the front of your soaked cunt. The sensation had your legs shaking and you felt as if you would burst from that bit of pressure. He pulled his hand back, dragging his fingers out to the tips before plunging them back into you. Every movement was like a bolt of lightning in your abdomen, winding the coil of pressure that had gathered there tighter and tighter. Your walls squeezed around his fingers, enjoying his touch but still wanting more.

When his hand retreated, you nearly cried out for him to put it back. Your eyes shot open and looked down at him, finding him moving back over you. Past his head of dark curls, you followed the length of his body until your eyes came to rest upon his manhood. He was thick and the length of him almost had your mind rushing ahead of itself. He was so big and it would be a miracle if he’d fit inside you, but the thought of that monster slipping into your aching core had you writhing beneath him.

Gabriel laced one of his hands with yours, pulling it to his lips and pressing a kiss to your knuckles. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he questioned, making sure you were certain of what the two of you were about to do. “I don’t want you to regret it, mi amor. I can wait.”

You sat up and pressed your lips hungrily against Gabriel's. When you pulled away with an obnoxiously wet smack, you whispered against his lips.

“I can’t wait.” you breathed. “Take me.”

Gabriel lined himself up and pressed himself against your lips, the head of his cock slipping past them. Your head was whirling with pleasure and you whined, wanting him to fill you entirely. He slowly pushed himself forward, sinking into you inch by painful inch. Your insides tensed around him, not used to such an intrusion. Gabriel did not move forward until he saw and felt you relax beneath him, knowing that the size of him was difficult for your body to accommodate.

When he reached the end of you, you cried out, tears stinging the corners of your eyes. You were so full and positive that you were going to explode in pleasure the second Gabriel moved. Gabriel moaned loudly, your body squeezing around his hard length almost too much for him as well. His one hand had not left yours while the other rested on his forearm to keep him from crushing you entirely.

Sweat was already dripping down your forehead before Gabriel pulled back to plunge back into you. The heat from the springs fueled the heady and utterly erotic experience, stoking your arousal higher and higher. When you felt Gabriel’s length drag against your insides, your breath left your lungs and you whined helplessly. He felt so good and, despite him being so much and so close, you only wanted more and for him to be closer.

Gabriel moaned your name against your collar bone, his lips sucking at the skin there as he moved slowly. His hips would push flush against yours before retreating until it was just his head inside you. The back and forth of being empty and almost too full was pushing you towards your end. As you grew more accustomed to Gabriel inside you, the easier it became for him to move. His pace increased with each thrust and it was driving you insane.

Your climax hit you out of nowhere, with Gabriel seated deep inside your cunt. It rolled through your body, your muscles tensing and shaking from the rush of pleasure. Your tears fell freely now and you sobbed silently with your mouth hanging open from the intensity of it all. Gabriel could barely move with your walls clamped so tightly around him, but he managed to do so by some miracle. His continued thrusts drew out your orgasm, letting it drag on and on without end.

Expletives fell from Gabriel’s lips and utterances in Spanish as he met his end, spilling himself into you. Your name was sung by your lover as he buried his head into your shoulder while his seed flooded your body. The feeling was strange but euphoric and it only made you feel fuller. Gabriel remained inside you, panting against your skin as he came back to his senses.

“I love you.” you said, your voice hoarse from your cries of pleasure. “Forever and always, Gabriel.”

Gabriel lifted his head, his sated gaze meeting yours and a dazzling smile spreading across his face. “And I you, mi amor.”

After a while of laying together, your bodies still connected, Gabriel voiced that it was about time for the two of you to get moving. He withdrew from you, his member softened and slipping easily from your cunt. His seed slipped from inside you, the sensation making you shiver even in the warm water. The two of you rinsed off and climbed out of the water, getting dressed so you could see your way out of the swamp. 

Gabriel waited patiently for you to finish dressing, leaning against the trunk of a tree and watching as you laced up your boots. When you rose, you caught his gaze and gave him a beaming smile. “Are you ready?” Gabriel asked.

It was time to leave the Black Swamp behind you. It was time to start your life again. It was time for you to be allowed the happiness that was once ripped from you so cruelly.

“I’m ready.” you said without a hint of doubt in your voice.

Gabriel took your hand and looked back at you as he led you forward, towards the line of trees that opened up ahead of you. You glanced back one last time at the hot springs, glad to have had the time there with Gabriel. It would be a memory you would cherish for as long as you lived. For now, you had the rest of your lives to make more beloved memories. You would take every moment of Gabriel’s that you could and that was all that mattered.


	16. Chapter 16

The sight of the open woods was a relief to your exhausted mind. Gone were the rocky walls of the ravine bordering the swamp, with the distant cries of unknown creatures and the popping of flame spurts. Fall was in full swing and the late evening sun lit up the orange-yellow leaves like fire. Not even the trees in the swamp cast such a luminous glow through their dreary and dark branches. 

Beyond the line of trees, you spotted the bay that would lead to where Gabriel’s ship was. The water was calm and the sunlight reflected off of it, dancing back and forth in your vision. It was like a scene from a painting and you knew it wasn’t a sight you’d likely forget. It would forever commemorate your survival of the Black Swamp, despite being a little worse for wear. Tears stung the corners of your eyes and you stopped to take it all in. Gabriel halted a step in front of you, glancing back at you to make sure you were okay. “We did it, Gabriel.” you said, smiling. “We survived.”

“It wasn’t that bad, now was it?” Gabriel said teasingly, turning back around and walking over to take you into his arms. He hugged you tightly and you responded in kind, your arms wrapping around his torso to embrace him. With your cheek pressed against his chest and safe in his arms, all felt right in the world. “This is just the beginning, mi amor.” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of your head where your hair was still wet from your dip in the hot springs. He pulled away, hands sliding down your shoulders to hold your forearms between you two. The look on his face melted your heart and you couldn’t help but smile even wider at Gabriel. “From here on, we will never be parted.”

“Never again.” you agreed, stepping closer. You lifted your head, inclining it towards Gabriel’s. You grabbed a handful of his damp shirt, pulling him down so you could seal both of your words with a kiss. His eyes were locked with yours and it made your heart race in your chest. It thundered loudly, like the racing of horses across a field. A smile spread across your lips as you shut your eyes, awaiting your lover’s tender and passionate kiss.

Only, the thundering you’d heard was not just your heart beating audibly. It really was hoofbeats against the earth and it broke the moment between you and Gabriel. Your head snapped in the direction from which the sound came from, wondering who would even dare wander this close to the Black Swamp. That thought was quickly answered when you saw the glistening white coat of Jack’s favorite steed, a handsome horse named Helix, shimmering through the trees. Sure enough, the prince himself rode him and was headed towards you and Gabriel. Behind your fiance, three of his royal guard and his advisor followed.

“(Y/n)!” Prince Morrison’s familiar voice called out as he caught sight of you. He brought his horse to a halt, still a safe distance from you and Gabriel. His eyes met yours and, even from this far away, you could tell he was worried and relieved to see you. The golden hair atop his head was slicked back and neat as always. He donned his typical royal blue knee-length doublet, a belt, with his sword’s sheath attached cinched around his waist, and brown riding pants with dark leather boots. Despite his concern for you, he retained his aire of authority and exuded his position of power in the way he held himself.

Gabriel drew his sword, pushing you behind him with his other arm. “Surrender.” Jack barked out, clearly angered by the defensive position Gabriel had taken.

“You mean, you wish to surrender to me?” Gabriel shot back confidently. His cockiness wasn’t taken too kindly by Jack who frowned and rolled his eyes. “Very well, I accept.”

“I give you marks for your bravery and making it through the Black Swamp, but don’t make yourself a fool.” Prince Morrison responded. “Hand over the princess and your punishment will be much less severe.”

Gabriel shuffled backwards, making you have to move back to keep him from stepping on you. “Ah, but how will you capture us? We know the secrets of the Black Swamp.” your lover informed. “We could live there happily for quite some time. So, whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit us.”

“Gabriel.” you whispered in an attempt to keep him from arguing like this. It wasn’t going to get either of you anywhere. Your hand reached out and tugged on his arm, trying to get him to listen but he was far too focused on the man who he had thought had stolen you from him. “Gabriel, please.”

“I tell you once again,” Jack said, his demanding voice raising to a shout, “surrender!”

Just then, you noticed movement from the corners of your vision. From your left side, there was the glint of armor in the sun. Your eyes trained on it and saw a soldier with a crossbow, getting into firing position with his loaded weapon pointed at Gabriel. He glanced across the way and you followed his line of sight, finding that there was another soldier hidden that way, also with a crossbow aimed at the only person that mattered to you in this life. 

You realized with what that meant-- that there would be no retreating into the Black Swamp. The moment Prince Morrison gave his word, those soldiers would fire at Gabriel. You’d seen what those things were capable of, having gone with the prince on one of his hunting trips into the woods by the castle. One of his men had shot his crossbow through the skull of a doe. You could still recall the sight of the arrow sticking out of it’s once beautiful head and it turned your stomach sour even now. Gabriel wouldn’t survive that kind of injury.

“It will not happen.” Gabriel said, shaking his head up at Prince Morrison. 

“For the last time, surrender!” Jack unsheathed his own blade, brandishing it in front of him. He eyed the men who he’d sent to keep you and Gabriel from escaping and you knew that his sword would give them the signal to fire.

“Death first!” Gabriel roared.

Time slowed for just the briefest moment, your eyes swiveling between Jack, Gabriel, and his soldiers. They lifted their weapons, eyes focusing in on their target with trained skill. Their weapons would not miss once they fired. The image of the doe flashed across your memory again and you knew you couldn’t just stand here and let Gabriel be hurt again for your sake. You’d played your fair share of damsel in distress. It was time to step up and do something to save the man you love and the only happiness that you would ever have.

“Wait!” you cried out, your voice shocking even yourself. Everyone else fell silent and you wasted no time in continuing. “Will you promise not to hurt him?” you continued, your voice a bit quieter, tentative due to your discomfort with everyone’s attention trained on you.

“What was that?” Jack asked, as if he had heard you wrong.

“What was that?” Gabriel repeated, giving you a confused look.

Stepping forward, you brushed past Gabriel even though it hurt to leave him so exposed to danger without you by him. “If we surrender, and I return with you, will you promise not to hurt this man?” you said, your voice confident despite the fear that remained inside you, hidden but ever present. 

Jack looked down at you from atop his horse, scanning the length of your body. You shifted your feet beneath you, your boots rustling the fallen leaves and dried grass. They were exposed thanks to your torn skirts and that couldn’t have helped Gabriel’s case if Jack believed him to have caused the damage. 

“Please, Jack.” you begged, conjuring up your most pleading expression. “This man saved me. We will surrender if you just promise no harm will come to him.”

Moira leaned over towards the prince, whispering something to him. He listened, his eyes sliding to his advisor. When she finished, he sat up taller in his saddle and returned his gaze to you. “May I live a thousand years and never hunt again.”

Relief washed over you, but you needed to assure Gabriel’s safety. “He is a sailor on the pirate ship Revenge.” you explained, nodding your head towards the water.. “It is docked along this bay. Promise you will return him to his ship.”

“I swear it will be done.” Jack said, sheathing his sword. He nodded towards his men who started to approach the two of you, their crossbows still pointed at Gabriel in case he tried to make an escape.

You turned to Gabriel, your heart heavy with guilt for what you’d just done. Your eyes lifted slowly, afraid to meet the gaze of Gabriel for fear he would be angry with you. Instead, you stared at the hollow of his neck as you spoke to him. “I thought you were dead once and it almost destroyed me.” you explained, hoping he would take it well. “I could not bear it if you died again, not when I could save you.”

Gabriel uttered your name like a plea for you to stay with him. It shattered your heart and you turned away. You felt his fingers against yours and flinched away, driving a stake further into your heart for reacting as such. Before you could turn to apologize, Jack was there in front of you upon Helix. A gloved hand reached out to you and you had to fight the urge to push it away and throw yourself into Gabriel’s arms. It would have been so easy to do, but you knew you couldn’t. He had been yours again for barely a day and now you were losing him all over again.  _ So much for ‘never’ _ \-- you thought to yourself.

Regretfully, you took the prince’s outstretched hand and he hoisted you up to sit in front of him, that same arm coming to rest around your midsection. “I’m glad you’re alright, my dove.” he said. You couldn’t bring yourself to say anything in response. “Moira will see you once she returns to the castle. I hope you haven’t been harmed in any way.”

_ Hurt, but not by Gabriel _ \-- you said internally. With a kick of his heels, Helix shot forward and you instinctively grabbed hold of the finely combed mane to help keep you steady. The autumn air bit at your cheeks and the wind stung your eyes which were already filling with unstoppable tears. They bubbled from the corners of your eyes, blurring your vision. You cursed yourself for letting them fall because it was your fault you were here, being taken away from your other half. 

Casting a backward glance, staring past Jack’s arm that was holding you tightly against his front, you caught sight of Gabriel one last time. He was staring after you and you knew that would haunt you for the rest of your days.

**…**

Gabriel threw his blade down when you and the prince disappeared from sight. The soldiers at his back startled, but didn’t fire their weapons at him. Defeat stung and the way you had sacrificed your happiness for him to live couldn’t even cheer him up. Your bravery and cunning astounded him, but he wished he had figured a way out for the both of you that didn’t involve the prince taking you back from him. He should have figured your fiance would be waiting for you, but he hadn’t and he would regret that if he did not come up with a plan to rescue you.

The woman who had said something inaudible earlier to the prince walked forward slowly on her horse. She looked down past her angled nose with her single eye at Gabriel, her expression unnaturally flat. “Come, we must get you to your ship.” she said, her voice cold and collected with a hint of deception. Gabriel picked up on it and smirked.

“We both know that I will not be taken back to my ship.” Gabriel voiced. “Why lie about it?”

The woman’s expressionless face shifted for a brief moment, the corners of her lips flicking upwards for a fraction of a second before falling back to hide her emotions. She found it amusing that this man still had the guts to be a bit arrogant. “Thought you might believe me, but it seems you’ve seen right through me. Well played, sailor.” With a nod of her head, the men behind Gabriel approached and restrained his arms. A length of rope tightened around his wrists, but he hardly noticed, choosing instead to study the interesting woman who was employed by the prince.

She clearly was not a soldier. Gabriel had quickly noticed she carried no weapon. Even her style of dress was proof of that. It was clear she wore no armor beneath her robes, which were of exceptional quality and design. Purple threads were woven into the pristine white fabric, creating intricate symbols. That alone told him she was of a higher status than the soldiers that were currently harshly restraining him, but something was still missing. There had to be something more to her.

He glanced back up at her face and it clicked instantly. The intricately designed eyepatch made him recall the words of the swordswoman he’d fought back on the Cliffs of Talon. She’d mentioned the witch with a missing eye that had murdered her father. Gabriel smiled and laughed.

“What’s so funny?” the woman questioned.

“You don’t happen to be a witch, do you?” he asked. He half expected the woman not to answer, yet she surprised him in doing so.

“Perhaps.” came her response with a detached tone of voice. “That hardly matters to you.”

“That is fair.” he nodded. “I would be remiss, however, to not inform you that someone is looking for you.”

She shrugged. “People speak of me. It is not unusual for them to seek me out.”

“This person comes calling for your life, I’m afraid.” Gabriel growled. “And if they can’t do it, you best believe that I will.”

“I’d like to see you try.” she hummed, as if Gabriel had not just threatened her life. Her indifference was insufferable and Gabriel lunged forward towards her in anger, but was pulled back by one of the guards. She gave a nod and another guard brought the butt of his crossbow down across the back of Gabriel’s head, knocking him unconscious. 

“Where are we to take him?” said the guard who had just knocked out their prisoner. Moira turned her horse around, preparing to follow after the prince, but not before answering his question.

Looking between the remaining soldiers, she spoke. “Take him to the Pit of Despair.” Her gaze drifted to the man’s limp and unmoving body, making sure his chest was still rising and falling. “I will meet you there, but you must promise me he will remain alive.”

One of the other guards looked confused and stepped forward towards the advisor. “Why do you need him alive?” he questioned.

“Well, he’s no use to me if he’s dead.” Moira deadpanned. She couldn’t stand being in the presence of the prince’s blockhead soldiers. There were preparations to be made for her new test subject and it was likely the prince would need her assistance with the plans for the coming month. Starting in a trot away from the group, she tossed a few last words as motivation for the men. “See to it, gentlemen. There will be consequences if he comes to any unnecessary harm. Do not disappoint me.”


	17. Chapter 17

Jack rode straight on to the castle, the two of you arriving well after the sun had dipped below the horizon and the night sky only offered the dim lighting of the waning moon. The stars speckled the midnight blue canvas above you. Glowing torches lit the castle’s outer walls and the lighting from inside the castle could be seen through the paned windows. It stood out against the night sky, so picturesque and still so daunting to you. Under any other circumstance, you would have found it astonishingly resplendent. However, it was there you were returning to a fate you’d wished so desperately to be free from.

Helix trotted into the stables, the atmosphere of the place drawing you to realize that you’d arrived at long last. It was warm and smelled of the beautiful creatures you adored. Your eyes quickly found the stall of your Sea Biscuit, who was looking out over the gate and whinnied at you. She had missed you and it warmed you a bit inside to know that she had made it back here after you’d been taken nearly three days ago.

Jack climbed down, his boots hitting the cobbled flooring of the stables with a resounding thud. He helped you down, his hands grabbing gently around your waist as he guided you to the ground. The moment he let go, you wandered over to your animal companion’s stall and ran a hand lovingly down her neck. She pressed her soft muzzle against the crook of your arm and huffed, her nostrils flaring and blowing warm air that breezed gently through your fabric to your skin. 

“I missed you too, Biscuit.” you said sadly, your hand sliding back up her neck to scratch behind her fuzzy ears. The precious thing nickered happily and it almost made you break down in tears. You hadn’t even considered the thought of leaving her behind. She wasn’t a mighty steed and would have been no use to Jack if you’d gone and left without a word. A wave of shame and guilt rolled over you with that realization and it echoed your sentiments over Jack’s apparent concern for you the whole ride back.

Behind you, Jack cleared his throat. Dropping your hand to your side, you reluctantly turned from your mare and faced Jack. A stable hand had come to untack Helix and the horse disappeared around the corner of one of the stable’s hallways, leaving you and Jack alone. There was a tension in the air between the two of you. Your distance emotionally weighed heavily between the two of you. Jack was trying to reach you, as he always had done, but he could not possibly know the depth of your agony and it kept you miles from him. The prince paced over, his eyes searching your face for something to tell him you were yourself, as you were before being kidnapped. Your gaze dropped to the ground nervously, not able to meet his and not able to show that you had changed in the short few days apart.

“Let’s get you to your room, princess.” Jack said, his voice tired but still managing to sound worried. Even though you’d assured him you were alright, that you had not been harmed, he still didn’t believe you. You relaxed some, lifting your head to stare ahead of you at the center of Jack’s chest. He was holding out his arm, meaning for you to take it. Gingerly, you rested your forearm over his and allowed him to guide the two of you from the stables. “I’ll have a maid draw you a bath and let the kitchens know to prepare something for you to eat.”

“Thank you, your highness.”

Jack forced a laugh, uncomfortable with your use of his title. “You have no need of calling me ‘highness’, (y/n). We are to be married in a month's time, after all.”

Jack’s reminder of your commitment to him was like a knife in your chest, but you wouldn’t let it show. It almost made you stumble as you climbed the steps into the back hall of the castle, opposite of the courtyard. Jack moved to steady you, having sensed your step falter, but you had righted yourself before he could assist. His other hand dropped to his side with a quiet rustle of his tunic. 

He cleared his throat in the awkwardness, but continued onwards without saying anything. You were grateful for that much, at least. Despite his desire to assist you, the only thing he had managed to do was make you more miserable. He overwhelmed you with his unspoken worry. You didn’t need him to aid you and you certainly hadn’t asked for him to guide you all the way to your rooms. These actions were unwanted and yet you were not in any position to deny them. Jack believed he had saved you when the only thing he had done was ruin the chance at the life you’d always thought you’d have.

It was impossible to focus on anything other than your thoughts and feelings. So when Jack stopped outside your chambers, it took you a moment to realize why the two of you weren’t walking still. Your eyes lifted to the familiar heavy and dark oak door with its iron lock and hinges. Desiring to find solace behind it, you started forward mindlessly like a body without a soul. Jack’s warm hand caught your wrist as it slipped from under his arm, keeping you from escaping his sickeningly tiresome concern.

“(Y/n), you aren’t yourself.” Jack stated, having finally gained the courage to point that fact out. You did not look back at him nor did you pull away from him, not certain where he was going with his words. “What I am about to ask, I would like you to answer in full honesty. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” you said, not really caring about his seriousness. You owed him nothing. Nothing.

“Did that sailor or any of the other three people who took you harm you in any way?” Jack questioned. 

Your head shook side to side slowly, answering his question without words. 

“Am I supposed to believe that the state of your dress is simply from a pleasant stroll through the Black Swamp?” Jack pushed, his tone darkening. He seemed to be accusing someone of something that led to the ruinous state of your clothing. That irked you, but you remained calm as you told him the truth.

“The Black Swamp is a treacherous place, your highness.” you explained. “My skirts caught on brambles and bushes of thorns and they nearly caught fire. I used some of what was left to dress the wounds of the sailor when he saved me from a rodent of unusual size. My dress is a lot more expendable to such damages than I am.”

“I was not commenting upon your gown, princess.” Jack elucidated, his words infuriating and confusing you all at the same time. 

Was he trying to rile you up now because you hadn’t shown him a speck of emotion since he’d swooped in to rescue you? Did he expect your eternal gratitude? Here he was asking for your honesty and you’d given him that much, but he seemed to want more than the truth. Were you supposed to confirm his fears that you’d been harmed even though you hadn’t? He especially seemed to think it had not been the fault of the dangers of the swamp that had brought harm to your expensive dress. You could only assume he believed it to be the fault of one of your kidnappers, which you knew it wasn’t. His ignorance of your nothing but truthful answer had your blood starting to simmer.

You tried to pull away from him, but he held fast. “Let go of me, your highness.” you spoke, your voice firm and cautioning him from continuing as he was. “I have had enough of being manhandled to last me a lifetime.”

“Manhandled?” Prince Morrison repeated, still holding your wrist and his grip tightening.

“Release me. Now.” you demanded, anger rising every second he did not do as you’d asked.

“Not until you tell me what that man has done to you!” Jack said, his voice rising above yours and shocking you into silence. “You mean to make me believe that you’ve been without your undergarments since before you were kidnapped? I think not, princess.”

It hit you then that it was the absence of your chemise that Jack had been inquiring about. The blasted thing had landed in a patch of poison ivy after Gabriel had carelessly tossed it from the pool. When you’d gone to retrieve it, you knew that you could not possibly wear it then. You bemoaned the loss of your chemise, knowing it wasn’t proper to be without undergarments, but you had realized that it was nothing compared to what you had just done. Now you wished you would have just suffered the itching rashes that the blasted piece of fabric would have given you.

“Jack, I--” you started, but stopped upon realizing you did not have anything to say that wouldn’t defend Gabriel. If you spoke about it, you would confirm in Jack’s mind that you’d been assaulted by the man you’d explained to have saved you. There was no doubt in your mind that Jack would stop at nothing to see Gabriel's capture. He’d be arrested and sentenced to a punishment for nothing wrong at all. 

On the other hand, Jack would know the extent of your relationship with Gabriel. He would know what you’d willingly participated in. You’d given yourself to the man you loved-- a man that was not Jack and to whom you weren’t engaged. That brought a wave of shame and guilt that rivaled all else. Such acts of impropriety and scandal were not unfamiliar to royalty, but you knew it could cause all sorts of trouble if word got about it. With Jack’s coronation a month away, it could prove ruinous.

“Tell me.” Jack pressed, his voice softer in an attempt to get you to answer. “I will see to it he pays with his life. You are not to blame in this, (y/n).”

You screwed your eyes shut and balled a handful of your skirts in the hand that was not trapped in Jack’s. You had to say something or he would not leave it alone. He’d continue like this until you gave him an answer to satisfy the need for justice he believed there was. 

“It was the man who had kidnapped me.” you lied, the sound of your distress real but not from the story you were weaving. “I-- he--” you stammered, truly trying to find the words to express such an agonizing and shameful action without knowing what that was like. You were drawing from the feelings you’d felt having been kidnapped to help make your account believable. Even then, words seemed inadequate to describe such a horrible thing and so you played upon that thought. “It’s too much to say aloud, Jack. I can’t. I can’t.”

With your answer given, Jack let go of you. You quickly stepped away from him, pressing your palms flat against your door and resting your forehead against it. The relief that flooded you was immense, but so was the guilt for such a hefty lie.

“We found him dead.” Jack said, seeming disappointed the culprit was already disposed of.

“Let’s not speak of this anymore.” you said quietly. “I can’t stand myself as it is.”

Which was true. You couldn’t stand yourself. You’d lied, you’d been unfaithful, you’d let yourself be taken. Most of all, you’d let Gabriel and you be separated again.

“I’m sorry for causing you distress.” Jack apologized, his remorse louder than his shouting had been. You glanced at him over your shoulder, witnessing the look of regret upon his flawless features. He noticed your gaze and reached a hand towards you, as if to comfort you, before deciding against it and letting it fall back to his side. Without a moment’s hesitation, he bowed deeply. “Please, forgive me. I will send for your maid right away. Good night, Princess (y/n).”

He was gone before you could wish him the same. It wouldn’t have made you feel better anyways. 

**…**

Gabriel slowly awoke to a cavernous room he had not seen before. It’s walls were made of stone and was lit by candles on every surface the various candelabras placed around the room. A damp chill hung in the air and it smelled of damp earth. A desire to explore the place filled Gabriel but, alas, he could not move.

He woke restrained to a wooden table with no cushioning from the harsh surface. It creaked beneath him with his struggles to break free, but the leather straps holding him to it did not budge. Gabriel could only swivel his head side to side and see the room from his peripheries. He was alone for the time being, but he was positive that would not last.

His head ached fiercely from where he had been struck by one of the prince’s guards. The wounds he’d received from the rodent of unusual size also ached from his attempts to break free of his confines. The tattered remains of his shirt had been disposed of, leaving him in nothing but his pants and boots. It left his skin exposed to the cold air and caused it to erupt in gooseflesh. He could feel the grain of the wood beneath his back and none of it was pleasant.

Least pleasant of all was your absence. He felt that most strongly. He had saved you, but had been powerless to stop you from saving him and seeing that you were separated yet again. The prince had been both his and your undoings and it stirred the roiling hatred Gabriel held for the man. Once he found his way out of here, he would steal you back and make the prince pay for his royal mistake.

The loud creaking of a wooden door alerted Gabriel that he was about to have company. His head turned to face where the sound had come from. Beyond a set of stairs was an alcove that held the only door into the room. The door was open and a woman carrying a tray of medical tools entered. She shut the door behind him and hurried down the steps and came to the side of the table where Gabriel laid.

“See you’re awake.” she commented, picking up a cloth and dipping it into a bowl of water upon the tray she’d set down on a table. She wringed it out and brought it over with her, pressing it to the wound at Gabriel’s shoulder, earning a pained hiss. She muttered a quick apology before continuing to clean up the wound.

“Where am I?” Gabriel asked. “Who are you?”

“I am a servant of the prince, though I work more for his advisor, the witch. I'm Satya.” she introduced, returning to the bowl of water to clean the rag and re-wet it. As she returned to cleaning Gabriel’s wounds, she continued. “You’re in the witch’s lab, though I’d call it a pit of despair. No one ever leaves this place alive, so don’t even think of escaping. Only the prince, the witch, and I know how to get in and out of this place. A rescue is highly unlikely as well.”

“Then I’m here till I die?” Gabriel questioned.

“Until they kill you, yeah.” Satya confirmed.

A particularly harsh swipe of the cloth caused Gabriel to hiss in pain again. This time, there was no apology. “Then why bother curing me?” he pointed out. “It seems counterintuitive to mending the prisoner before ending his life.”

Satya paused, looking Gabriel in the eyes. “The Prince and the witch insist on their prisoners being healthy before being broken.”

“So it is to be torture, then?” Satya nodded, answering without words. Gabriel looked away, knowing he could take whatever it was that was in store for him. Torture was not something he was unfamiliar to. “I can cope with torture.”

“I don’t think so.” Satya argued. “You survived the Black Swamp, so you must be brave. Bravery will not get you anywhere here, good man. Nobody can withstand the witch’s contraption.”

No more words were exchanged between the two. Satya finished cleaning Gabriel’s wounds and cleared out, locking the door behind her. Gabriel’s mind was spinning with the possibilities of what would happen to him. He was not afraid of what the prince and witch’s servant had told him. It would have frightened any other normal man, but Gabriel was anything but. He would endure what he must in order to get to you, even if it meant he was to be subjected to torture at the hands of your fiancé and his advisor.


	18. Chapter 18

Weeks had passed and the coronation, as well as your wedding to the prince, were drawing near. Preparations were in full swing and it seemed the castle was constantly bustling with servants and staff. It was loud in the halls when people were coming and going. The gardens and the courtyard were not much better. There wasn’t a moment’s rest from the hoards of people and the noise they created, so you kept to your rooms as much as you could.

Each day since returning, you had spent your days just the same as the last. You’d wake to your maid bringing you breakfast, which you seldom finished even halfway. After eating, you’d begrudgingly rise and get ready for the day ahead of you. You spent far too long in the bath, letting the warm water drain your misery until you were sitting in it and the cold water. Getting dressed was done in silence, other than your maid prattling on about the events of the day or about the loveliness of your outfit. When she finished dressing you, she would leave and you would go and sit in your window seat, staring out over the gardens.

Usually, there was some court event you had to attend. Jack would escort you from your room to the event. He never left your side, even when you wished for a moment of respite from his protectiveness. You never spoke at the events, which were usually hearings of recent matters of law or news of tensions growing with Omnica. There was nothing valuable you felt you had to say, even at Jack’s insistence for you to show some interest in the affairs of the country you were soon to rule. Your emotions for your position and for Jack were both the same-- cold and distant.

In your freetime, you either sat alone in your room with your thoughts or with a book in hand. If the gardens weren’t bustling with people, you would go wander them, amidst the fading plants and flowers with winter soon to fall. You let the cold air and the crisp scent of leaves and earth take you back to the Black Swamp and to the memories of Gabriel that were the only things to bring even a small smile to your face. Sometimes, when it was cold enough to keep you inside, you’d wander the halls of the castle. Anyone who saw you barely noticed you and, if they did, they pitied you.

You weren’t allowed to go out riding anymore, so you’d resigned to spending a few times a week in the stables. Sea Biscuit was your only friend and you enjoyed the peacefulness of passing time with her. While you groomed her or walked her up and down the stable halls, you’d tell her your thoughts and the heavy secrets you carried. She was the only one who couldn’t go telling anyone and she didn’t seem to mind when you would break down in tears. Her companionship was a great comfort to you and perhaps the only comfort you had.

Your family had been to the castle to visit you once since your return. They gushed over you, having been worried upon learning of your kidnapping. Your mother held you in her arms tightly, refusing to let go unless it was into the arms of another worried relative. The person that shocked you the most with their worry was your father. He was a pillar of strength and rarely showed emotion, but he was unafraid to let his guard down when he came to see you. Tears remained in the corners of his eyes the whole time and, though they never fell, you were grateful for his concern.

Prince Morrison was there with you when your family came to visit. He kept close to you and spoke very little to anyone else. His presence was unnecessary but he still was concerned over what had happened. You’d been asked not to say a word about the assault that you’d blatantly lied about, though the prince did not know that. It was much easier to not say something knowing that it wasn’t true in the least bit.

However, the prince had not left it alone so easily as you could. Upon Moira’s return to the castle, Jack saw to it that you were seen by the healer. Your body shuddered at the memory of her examining you, assuring you hadn’t any severe injuries that had gone unnoticed and that the assault would not result in a child. A child not belonging to the prince would have no stake to the throne and it was likely the prince would be criticized for the bastard child, as would you. Moira assessed your condition and had you drink a concoction to prevent a child from taking root in your womb-- a child that would have been Gabriel’s. The drink was bitter and horrid, both in its taste and what it was preventing.

You remember leaving her quarters in the castle, tears threatening to fall. Rushing to hide from anyone and everyone, you had ran out to the gardens. People moved out of your way as you passed and they did not care enough to follow you. Eventually, you fell to your knees in front of a beautiful marble fountain and let yourself be consumed with grief. Your sobs were silent and wracked your body painfully. For hours it seemed, you laid there in utter despair.

It was Jack that came to find you, the servants amongst the garden having directed him to you. You remember hearing his footsteps falling against the cobblestone path, stopping beneath the arched shrubbery before the clearing where you laid. He said your name, but you didn’t respond. As he walked over, he spoke of Moira’s observance of your emotional state during her examination and that she’d told him of your rushed exit. Jack wanted answers, he wanted to know the depths of what had happened to you so you could start to heal.

“Won’t you share with me?” Jack pressed, soft yet with a demanding undertone. “I fear for your sanity, (y/n). Keeping everything locked up tightly in your mind will not make things any better.”

_ It would only make them worse _ \-- you thought to yourself, refusing to answer by remaining silent. 

“Please let me help you.” Jack urged. “I want to help you, my dear. What can I do to aid your healing body and mind?”

“Nothing.” you croaked, your voice hoarse from crying. “There is nothing you can do.”

Jack was clearly angered by your answer, but he knew well enough to leave it be. He picked you up from the ground, cradling you against his chest. Your body shivering from the cold and shaking from your breakdown, you welcomed the faint warmth from his body as he carried you up to your rooms and nothing more than that. He laid you down in your bed and pulled the covers up over you, tucking you in like a child. Pressing a soft kiss to your temple, he excused himself from the room and asked for you to rest.

What he did not know was that your rest was often worse than your waking hours. Even now, you’d lie awake for hours on end until pure exhaustion forced your eyes to close and your mind to drift off sleep. However, what little sleep you got was plagued with nightmares. They were always the same and the horridness of them never ceased or waned. You’d wake in a cold sweat, tears staining your cheeks and your heart racing. After waking, you never fell back asleep for fear of returning to the terrors your resting mind created.

**…**

As if things simply couldn’t get worse, they did. Jack’s father, and the king of Overton, passed away due to his failing health. He’d been fighting a long battle and right when it seemed he would be getting better, his condition became worse. That night he died, you sat by his side with Jack and the queen, keeping him company until it was over. Moira was there, assuring the king would pass painlessly with her various medicines and continuous aid.

You witnessed Jack cry for the first and only time. His tears weren’t something you thought possible, yet he sobbed like a newborn babe before you and his mother. Your hand was held tightly in his the whole time, attempting to comfort him as he mourned the loss of his father. Though Gabriel wasn’t dead, you could relate to the feeling of loss that Jack had to have been feeling. You felt sympathy for him, but nothing more than that.

Perhaps the worst thing about the king’s death was that it meant Jack had to take the throne, which also meant the two of you had to be married. The very next morning saw to both of those events, despite the actual date for them being just a few weeks off still. You were wed to Jack and he was crowned the ruler of Overton in the span of just a few hours, ending any remaining hope of Gabriel and you being together again.

As per tradition, you were reintroduced to the citizens of the kingdom. You found yourself standing at those same set of doors, waiting to walk out and face the people who would call you their ruler now. Jack’s voice boomed out over them, addressing the death of his father as well as prefacing your introduction.

“His final words were: Love her, as I loved her, and there will be joy.” Jack finished. There were a few moments of silence that followed. Your nerves were on end and your stomach was churning restlessly. You pressed a hand to your midsection, hoping it would steady your unease but it only seemed to make it worse. “I will now introduce you to my wife and your queen.”

There came a cheer from beyond the doors and the sound of it made your head whirl. You became dizzy and stumbled forwards towards the doors, catching yourself on them. Heat rushed to your face and you felt your knees grow weak, but you managed to hold yourself up against the doors.

“... your queen, Queen (y/n)!” Jack’s voice rang out from beyond the doors. 

Panic overcame you and you attempted to right yourself as the doors opened before you. You hoped your face didn’t show your emotions as you stepped forward and into the courtyard full of people. It seemed more people were here than when Jack had introduced them to you as his bride. They stared on at you in pure silence this time and it did nothing to help your unease. As you came to stand amongst them, you paused and nodded to the people towards the front of the crowd.

The pressure of a hundred eyes on you was daunting and you glanced momentarily up towards Jack’s place on the balcony. He was staring down at you, uncomfortably expressionless. There was no hint of the sorrow he felt for his father’s passing and there was no reassurance sent your way in his gaze. It was hard to hold his stare, so you turned back to the crowd.

A woman had stepped forward, holding a child in her arms. She wasn’t anyone you recognized and you weren’t sure she was even allowed to approach you. None of the guards stopped her, however, so you let her come near.

“Please, your majesty.” she begged. “This child is starving. There must be something you can do.”

Her arms lifted the child up for you to see. The little boy that stared back at you cooed with his tufts of black hair peeking out from the knit hat atop his head. His little hand reached for you and you couldn’t help but reach for it in turn. The child grabbed your finger, holding it tightly in his grasp.

You looked back to the woman, smiling at her. “I’m sure there is something we can do.” you assured her. 

When your gaze fell back to the child, you let out a shriek of horror that was echoed by the woman holding the infant. In a span of seconds, the babe had been reduced to a mere skeleton in her arms. It still held to your finger and when you tried to pull away, you found that you couldn’t. Fear seized you and you looked up toward Jack, hoping he would come to your rescue.

Only, Jack was no longer there.

“This is all your fault your majesty.” the woman said, drawing your attention back to her. She was glaring at you, her face locked in a vicious snarl. 

“How is this my fault?” you questioned, tears welling in your eyes. “I’ve done nothing to harm this child.”

“Don’t you recognize it?” the woman asked, nodding down towards the infant.

“No, I don-” you started, glancing down at the child only to pause mid-sentence. The child had returned to its normal state and, despite you believing you didn’t recognize the child, you found that you recognized the child entirely now. The black tufts of curly hair, the warm brown skin, and the deep brown eyes that were looking up at you curiously gave it away. 

“It’s your child.” the woman snapped. “You’re abandoning him just like you abandoned his father.”

Your eyes couldn’t be stolen away from the infant now, seeing Gabriel in every bit of his countenance. For a brief moment, your heart swelled with joy at beholding the sight of such a beautiful child, a child that was yours and Gabriel’s. Happiness struck like lightning, stunning you momentarily, until it was withdrawn with the woman ripping the child away from you.

“You don’t deserve him.” the woman sneered, though you weren’t sure she were talking about the infant or about Gabriel. She slowly retreated backwards towards the sea of faces you didn’t recognize. “You had true love in your grasp and you threw it away without a second thought.”

“Jack would have killed him.” you argued, following her. “I had to save him.”

“Your true love lives and you marry another.” she shot back. “He saved you, time and time again, for true love. You treated true love like it was the filth of the earth-- and that is what you are, your  _ majesty _ .” The woman’s insults hurt like a punch to the gut, causing you to stop following her. She paused and looked down at the babe in her arms one more time before glancing back to you. “You don’t deserve him. Neither of them.”

In an instant, the ground beneath her turned into the black sand from the Black Swamp. Both her and the infant were swallowed into the ground. You shot forward, attempting to save them, but the ground solidified before you could grab hold of the woman.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'd just like to point out that I was made aware of a continuity error in chapter 17 by a reader. I've gone back and fixed it, so if anyone else had noticed it and hadn't said anything, just know that the chapter has changed just briefly. Baptiste, having already been given the role of the first Dread Pirate Reaper, is no longer the servant of Moira. Rather, it is Symmetra in that role and that is also something that will be seen in this chapter. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading and enjoy the chapter!

You woke up from your nightmare, sitting up straight in your bed. Your eyes were wide with fear and your heart was still racing. Exhaustion couldn’t even keep you from being affected by the terror your dreams caused. With every recurring nightmare, the more and more you realized the decision you’d made had been a mistake. The wedding was in ten days and your nerves were at their limits. You knew you couldn’t go through with marrying Jack and something needed to be done right away.

Throwing back your covers, you got out of bed and grabbed your silk robe, tying it around you. You could have gotten dressed, but you did not wish to waste any more time. Jack needed to know the extent of your feelings for Gabriel. His anger could go to hell should it arise from you telling him. You’d lived so long trying to move on from Gabriel that it had been so easy to fall back into that mindset. It had no place in your mind now that Gabriel was alive and you would see to it that you were together.

As you rushed through the halls, the servants looked at you in shock. They’d not seen such a determination in you since your return to the castle. Your heartache and melancholy had shrouded you, keeping anyone from reaching your emotions and you from reaching out for something more. With your mind changed, you couldn’t care less if these perfect strangers knew the truth of your despair or the extent of your happiness. 

The doors of Jack's study were open as you neared the place. You strode into the room confidently, your eyes coming to land upon your fiance. He was working at his desk, one of his trusty hunting hounds sitting by his side. Moira was standing in front of the fireplace and she turned to look at you upon your entrance. As you approached, he looked up from his work and made an expression of surprise for your arrival. 

“It comes to this.” you said confidently. “I love Gabriel. I always have. I know now that I always will.” Walking closer, you stopped in front of his desk. “If you tell me I must marry you in ten days then please believe I will be dead by morning.”

Jack stared up at you quietly, blinking away his confusion as he processed your words. You held his gaze, your chest rising and falling a little faster than normal from your hurried pace to get to the study. Your mouth had become dry in nervousness from your brutal honesty with Jack, but you did not regret it at all.

Moira had walked over to stand beside Jack, her icy gaze not leaving you for a moment. She rested a hand upon Jack’s shoulder as she uttered his name, her tone completely serious. Jack blinked, pulled from his thoughts, and looked up at his advisor before looking back at you.

“I… I could never cause you grief.” he admitted, his face finally revealing his disappointment. “Consider our wedding off.”

“Your highness.” Moira said, seeming to disagree with what Jack had just voiced. She glanced at you, her glare shooting daggers in your direction.

“You saw that this man was returned to his ship, correct?” Jack questioned his advisor.

“Yes.” she responded. 

“Then we will simply alert him.” Jack continued, pushing back from his desk and standing. He brushed past Moira and came around to the other side of his desk. You remained where you stood as he came to a stop beside you. “I must ask if you’re certain he still wants you. After all, it was you who did the leaving at the Black Swamp. What if he believes you to have betrayed him? What then?” Jack reached a hand out and cupped your chin, tilting your head up to bring your gaze to him. “Pirate are known to not be men of their words.”

“My Gabriel will always come for me.” you answered.

Jack’s hand dropped from your face and he turned from you, walking over to stand in front of the fireplace. He stopped and stared into the flames momentarily before turning on his heels to face you again. “I suggest a deal. Write four copies of a letter to your Gabriel and I’ll send them on my four fastest ships, one in each direction. The Dread Pirate Reaper is always near Overton this time of year. We’ll run up the white flag and deliver your message. If Gabriel wants you, bless you both.” Jack walked back over, taking your hands into his and looking you dead in the eyes. “If not, please consider me an alternative to suicide.”

You nodded in agreement, knowing you wouldn’t have to resort to marrying Jack or ending your own life. “Thank you, Jack.” you said, truly grateful for his understanding. “I will go write those letters right away.”

Jack let go of your hands and gave you a forced smile. You knew what he was sacrificing in allowing you this-- his image, the plans that had already been made for the wedding and coronation, and surely the good graces of his parents. “Yes. Well, I’ll let you get to it.” he said. “Good day, (y/n).”

You curtsied and excused yourself from the room. With a spring in your step, you made your way back to your quarters. The servants that had seen you pass in the halls were still dumbfounded by your noticeable change of mood. They knew something had changed, but knew not what it was. You tried to fight back a grin as you walked back the way you’d come, knowing it would only fuel useless gossip. 

When at last you’d made it back to your quarters, you wasted no time in retrieving some parchment and a pen. Sitting down at your vanity, you began writing out the first copy of the letter to Gabriel.

_ My beloved Gabriel, _

_ This letter is written with the desire that you return to Overton and let us never be separated again. I made that mistake back at the Black Swamp and I can’t live with myself regretting that decision every day for the rest of my life. If you still love me, which I have no doubts you do, return with Prince Morrison’s ship and let us be reunited for the last time.  _

_ Prince Morrison has asked that I marry him if you do not come. The wedding and his coronation are only ten days away now. Please make haste in coming. Waste not a moment if you should wish for us to be together like we’ve always wanted. Should you not wish the same as I, then know that I will leave this world by my own hand. No world in which I do not have you is not a world worth living in. _

_ Either choice you make, I hope you know how much I love you. There is no other man for me, Gabriel. There is only you. Maybe I am a fool for thinking and believing such a thing, but I would not have it be any other way.  _

_ With all the love my heart possesses, _

_ Your (y/n) _

**…**

Siebren hummed quietly to himself as he paced back and forth in the cave he escaped to when he was off duty. It was the only thing to keep his mind from racing with thoughts of Akande’s body he’d buried himself and letting the worry for Olivia from setting in. After he’d come to, he’d gone in search of the only two people who had ever shown him even a sliver of kindness. Akande was found dead and when the giant went in search of Olivia back at the cliffs, she was nowhere to be found.

It was something that Siebren had hoped would happen. Akande had told him to go back to where they’d gotten the job if something happened, but Akande would not be coming to find him. He was dead and their mission ended in failure. Returning seemed pointless, but something told the hulking man to go anyways.

Days were spent traversing the countryside until he reached a port that could take him to Overton. He kept to himself, always humming quietly to himself or saying little poems. People avoided him, unsure of the man’s sanity but dared not to approach him about it. Few people actually spoke to him and those that did only ever had harsh words to throw at him. Siebren had learned a long time ago that humans were cruel and so he avoided them when he could.

When he’d arrived in Overton, he had meant to go straight to the Thieves Forest right away, but had been stopped by recruiters for the kingdom’s brute squad. With the coronation of the prince and his marriage to the princess coming up, there were concerns over the safety of the rulers of the land. Combined with the shocking and sudden kidnapping of the princess, it would be of no surprise to anybody should someone wish to bring harm to her or her union to the prince. 

Siebren had spent what little money he had in getting back to Overton. Akande being dead meant he was unemployed and that neither him nor Olivia would be getting paid at all for their failed task. Being a man of insurmountable strength, his skills would be of great use to the elite guard. He would be given a roof over his head and food, even if it meant having to work for the prince. The money would surely be worth it too. Signing up on the roster the recruiters provided him, Siebren was directed straight to the castle barracks. 

When he wasn’t assigned to a post, he spent his time in the cave he was currently in. He’d found the place while patrolling the woods around the castle. No animal inhabited it and it seemed that none of the other patrols cared to check it. It had become his place to escape the people he worked alongside and those who did not like him.

He hadn’t gathered the courage to venture towards the Thieves Forest, but he knew he would at some point. Olivia would surely be waiting there if she had escaped unscathed from her quarrel with the man in black. Siebren smiled at the thought of the woman’s smile when he found her. She was the only friend he had in this world and he would relish being reunited with her. He would tell her of Akande’s demise and that the princess had been returned to the prince. It also seemed that the advisor to the prince was the witch that Olivia had been hunting over the years. 

Having found the woman, Olivia would surely wish to seek revenge for the loss of her father. Siebren would be more than happy to help his friend in her task, just as soon as he found her.

**…**

Moira walked side by side with the prince, headed to her secret lab in the woods beyond the castle walls. The prince had allowed her such a space for her to safely practice her magic and study the sciences. It was located in a deep underground cavern that held different levels. Back in the day, it had been used to hold prisoners of war. It was also where they were tortured for information. Each level had holding cells and various forms of torture. The further down in the cavern, the more gruesome the methods became. 

Now, it was home to Moira’s belongings and her life’s work. She was the only human inhabitant other than her servant, Satya. The cells that had once kept prisoner were now home to creatures of all sorts for her to run her experiments on. However, it was not uncommon for the witch to request a human subject and be given a prisoner that was sentenced to death already. Currently, the only human subject she had in her possession was the very man that posed a threat to the prince’s upcoming coronation.

Moira glanced at the prince from the corners of her eyes, before turning them forward again. “You know, your bride is quite a winning creature.” she said. “It is a shame that she doesn’t wish to marry you, especially with the people of the kingdom being quite taken with her.”

“Well, we both know that won’t be a concern now, Moira.” Prince Morrison responded. He paused and she stopped to look back at him. “Not with her beloved Gabriel hidden away here in your lab. She’ll have no other choice but to marry me. Now is not the time for any more delays to the coronation. Omnica would surely take the next one to their advantage and seek to attack our country while we’re floundering to seat someone on the throne.”

“That is quite true, your highness.” she responded with a curt nod. Swiveling her head back towards the tree that hid the entrance to her lab, she eyed the ancient oak tree. “Shall you be joining me in the lab? Gabriel has regained his strength and I am planning on starting him on my machine tonight.”

“You know how much I love to see your work, Moira.” the prince responded, the grimace on his face evident in the tone in which he spoke. Moira hid her grin with her back turned to him as she walked over to the tree. “I have coronation plans to finish up, last minute wedding preparations to handle, and some reading to catch up on. I am swamped.”

Moira pushed on the furled knot in the side of the tree, opening the door into her lab. It creaked and she watched as it swung inwards. She turned around to the prince, giving a cold smile. “Get some rest, your highness.” she suggested. “If you haven’t got your health, then you haven’t got anything.” After giving her charge a deep bow, she turned on a heel and descended the steps into her lab.

The second the door to the lab shut, Moira let the deep frown she’d been holding in return to her face. She was disappointed in the efforts she’d made to start the war with Omnica. Akande had been unable to successfully kill the princess, which she’d hired him to do weeks before the engagement was announced. It had soured her mood greatly when they’d discovered his body and when it became clear that someone had interfered with her nefarious plans. 

However, she was pleased to know that it was the very man who she now held prisoner that was the person who had stopped Akande from upholding his end of the deal. It had been quite a wait for him to recover from his injuries acquired in the Black Swamp, but nothing would bring the woman greater pleasure than seeing him squirm. He would pay for what he’d done and she would see to it that her mission was accomplished. In ten days time, she would kill the princess herself to begin the long and bloody war between Overton and Omnica. 

The heavy door to her lab, at the bottommost level of the cavern, swung open with an echoing creak. Inside, Satya was already at work readying her guest for the first of many sessions to come. Moira descended the steps, her eyes resting on Gabriel’s form strapped to the table Satya was wheeling over to the machine. “Satya, are we nearly ready?” she asked, heading for her desk. As she reached it, she opened up her study journal and jotted down the date at the top of the page.

“Yes, ma’am.” the younger woman responded. “I’ll get him hooked up and then you will be able to proceed.”

Moira glanced up at her contraption proudly. It had taken her nearly a lifetime to think up such a clever device. The royal family’s patronage had done much to see to its completion. She’d only ever tested it a handful of times, but never on a human subject. It would please her greatly to see it’s effects and to understand the extent to which it could inflict pain. 

Leaving her desk, Moira approached her guest and came to rest next to where he laid. His eyes flicked to her, scowling deeply upon her appearance above him. “You’re a lucky man. The first to undergo the torture of my machine.” she explained. “I’m sure you’ve already discovered my deep and abiding interest in pain. At present, I am writing a definitive work on the subject. So, I ask that you be completely honest with me about how the machine makes you feel.”

Satya nodded at her, notifying her that he was all hooked up. Suction cups were attached to the strapping gentleman’s temples, his chest, and abdomen. The tubes ran up and into the wood work of the machine and disappeared in it’s intricate design. An enormous water wheel with buckets attached to it sat unmoving. A system of pulleys could also be observed as part of the mechanism, but it was still not quite easy to determine quite what the machine would manage.

Moira moved over to the lever that would start her machine. Next to it, there was a scale with numbers ranging from one to one hundred etched into the thick wood. “Since this is your first time, we’ll start at the lowest setting.” Moira said, staring down at Gabriel. Slowly, she pulled the lever until the indicator on the scale came to rest at the number one. With that, the machine came to life.

The sound of water running filled the room and it wasn’t before too long that the wheel started to turn. The buckets sloshed with the liquid, but didn’t seem to dump it anywhere. A quiet whining and a slow rumbling filled the room. Upon the table, Gabriel’s body began to thrash. He had a piece of thick leather between his teeth to keep from damaging himself. Moira had imagined he would be crying out in agony, but the man remained entirely silent, his body convulsing. The witch watched in amusement at his resilience and the beautiful work of her contraption, thoroughly pleased with what it was achieving.

After a few seconds of letting the machine run, she returned the lever to its original position. Her machine slowed until it stopped entirely. Even seconds after it had ceased running, Gabriel’s body still spasmed atop the table. His restraints had held and it seemed that the first trial had been a success. 

As Moira moved back over to her desk, she sat in the plush chair and readied her quill to begin writing her observations. “Now, I would be remiss to forgo explaining just what has occurred. The suction pump is a centuries old contraption. I’ve taken that and, instead of sucking water, my machine sucks life. I’ve just sucked one year of your life away.” Leaning forward, she watched her prisoner’s chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. “I might one day go as high as five, but I really don’t know what that would do to you. So let’s just start with what we have.”

Moira quickly jotted down a few brief things in her journal then looked back to Gabriel. “Now, tell me what this did to you. And remember, this is for posterity, so be honest. How do you feel?” she questioned.

All that Gabriel was able to manage was a quiet whimper, his ability to speak unachievable in his current state. Moira hummed with pleasant understanding.

“Interesting.” she said before motioning for Satya to see to her test subject. If such a strong man was able to manage as much as a whimper after just the lowest setting, Moira was curious as to how much he would be able to withstand in total. It was only a matter of time before she’d run the machine again, but she found herself wishing she didn’t have to wait for the sake of science. Seeing her machine’s brilliant work had her yearning for more and she would be loathed to miss any further opportunities to test it on her guest. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last, the next chapter is here. Enjoy!

Jack paced back and forth in his study, restless and unable to focus on his work. Just three days prior, you had strode into the room and declared your love for the man that he had sent away. He had thought something was strange from the way you’d jumped to his rescue that day. care for you and your happiness, he couldn’t help but feel cheated for having you as his bride without having you at all. Now that he knew the reasoning, it stirred something akin to jealousy inside him. 

He’d wasted many an hour over the past days reflecting on your behavior since your rescue, realizing just what it was that had cast a dreary gloom over your entrancing features. Gabriel had to be the man that had broken your heart prior to the engagement, the one who had made it impossible for you to love again. Jack was concerned that you’d never once thought of him with any form of fondness, be it love or anything of the like. The thought was like a poisoned arrow to his heart, the growing agony mounting until it consumed him entirely.

Your dishonesty wounded him as well. Lying by omission was still a lie and you had not claimed to have known the ‘sailor’ that saved you as well as you did. Jack’s mind attempted rationalizing the act of deceit in his mind. He knew that you’d been hurt by love before and that you likely didn’t want to risk falling prey to it again. You’d said as much when he’d proposed your engagement in order to save your family’s farm and he believed that still to be true. However, with the knowledge that Gabriel meant much more to you than simply your savior, Jack couldn’t help but think you still were hiding something from him.

The strange emotional distance you’d held was not something unfamiliar to him. You acted quite similarly upon moving to the palace just before the announcement of your engagement to him. However, upon returning from the Black Swamp, that state of being only seemed to have worsened. Jack amounted to the assault, something for which he grieved being unable to prevent, by your captor. He’d had distant relatives fall victim to similar situations and they’d acted much the same, but there was something off about your despair. You held to it as if it were the only thing keeping you together. It seemed to him that your agony over what had happened had both trapped you and freed you all at once. 

He would never point this fact out to you, afraid he’d reawaken the memory of something best forgotten. However, he couldn’t help but wonder why it was the sudden realization of your feelings for the man that saved you that pulled you from your sorrow and not the healing of your body and mind after the assault you’d fallen victim to. 

“Your highness.” the familiar voice of the captain of the guard sounded from the open door of his study, pulling him from his thoughts. Jack looked over his shoulder at the fearless woman standing there, knowing quite well that she’d be waiting there until he motioned for her to come in. If there was one person he trusted more than Moira, it was Captain Ana Amari.

“Enter.” Jack said, waving his hand in the captain’s direction as he returned to his desk. His fingers were steepled in front of him, thumb resting against his nose as he readied himself to give orders he’d rather forgo entirely. The captain approached without further hesitation, her cloak billowing out behind her with the purposeful gait she maintained. Her long black hair was braided over her shoulder, streaks of grey intertwined in the inky plait. A single eye looked on undauntingly, while the empty socket of her other eye was hidden behind the plain black leather eyepatch the captain donned. 

Captain Amari stopped before the desk and kneeled, tossing her cape back over her shoulder as she did so. After bowing her head in respect for the soon-to-be king, she wasted not a second more in her purpose for seeking the prince. “You summoned me, your highness. How can I serve you?”

“Captain, I must ask for your discretion for what I am about to speak of.” Jack replied, staring down at the woman past his own hands. He paused to take a deep breath before continuing. “The very future of Overton would undoubtedly be at stake if this information were to reach the wrong ears.”

The captain lifted a leather clad hand, swiping it across her body to rest upon her clavicle. Her gaze lifted as she spoke. “You have my word, my prince.” she swore. “Whatever is spoken shall remain between us and us alone.”

Pulling his hands apart in front of him, Jack leaned forward, holding himself up on his desk. His hands rested on some important papers, his fingers toying with the paper that had led him to ask for the captain’s presence. “Good. Now listen well-- agents from Omnica are infiltrating the Thieves Forest and plan to murder my bride on our wedding night.”

The captain looked startled and her eyebrows knitted in confusion. “My liege, our spy networks have heard of no such thing. Surely, you must be--”

“I am not mistaken, captain.” Jack bit harshly, cutting the woman off. “She must not be murdered. On the day of the wedding, I want the Thieves Forest emptied and all inhabitants arrested.”

“Many of the thieves will resist.” the captain started, sounding as if she were going to disagree with the prince. Upon seeing his growing anger, she quickly changed her tune. It was her duty, first and foremost, to protect the royal family and, second, to protect the country. “I will need to form a brute squad if I am to succeed in this task. With your permission, I would like to do so.”

“Whatever it takes, captain.” Jack said. “As long as the forest is emptied before I wed, you may use any means necessary. Do not fail me in this task. Are we understood?”

Bowing her head once again, the captain replied. “Yes, your highness.”

“You may leave now.” Jack said, with finality. “Speak to no one of this.”

The captain did not have to repeat herself. Jack knew she would obey his command. He watched the woman stand and leave the room. It was only when she’d closed the study doors behind her, that Jack let his demanding façade break.

He lifted a piece of parchment that had been laying face down on his desk, turning it so the report written on it was facing up. Jack knew it was the handwriting of the woman he’d just spoken to, but she had not written it herself. In fact, Jack did not believe anyone in the guard had written it. The report spoke of the agents of Omnica that were supposedly infiltrating the forest, but Jack knew that such intel would have been delivered directly to him by the captain. She read every report, it seemed, but not this one. 

Pulling a drawer out, he slipped the report inside and shut it. With a turn of the key, still in the lock, he locked it and tucked the key into his breast pocket. Such a problematic report needed to remain hidden from anyone who was seeking to cause any further issues. Jack needed to maintain his mask of obliviousness if he were to uncover the culprit behind such treachery. Nonetheless, if such information were true, having the captain clear the forest out would merely be precautionary. 

He would rather see himself dead than see any harm come to you. If what he believed about Gabriel was true, about him being the one to have broken your heart, then he would not allow you to fall prey to that man’s heartlessness again. Moira could have her way with the good-for-nothing pirate. You would be his and his alone, while Gabriel would live out the rest of his life as Moira’s test subject-- whatever remained of his life after the first trial of that machine of hers. 

**…**

Gabriel had underestimated the witch’s foul machine. It could not been more than a few days and the effects from the torture still lingered. His muscles felt exhausted and overused, making moving difficult. He’d just barely been able to start forming words again, rather than wheezing unintelligibly. Sleep overcame him in random episodes, forcing his eyelids to shut and his body to rest despite his will to stay awake. If it weren’t for the regular visit of the witch’s servant, with food and water, he would not have known if weeks had passed or just days.

After her testing the machine on him, Gabriel didn’t remember being moved afterwards. When he next awoke, he found himself in a small barred cell. Heavy iron manacles locked around his ankles kept him from moving too far, as they were attached to the stone wall by chains. Without his strength, they were nothing but reminders that he really was a prisoner. He couldn’t escape until he’d recovered enough, but surely the witch would run the machine again before that would become a problem. 

None of that mattered as much, however. His biggest concern was for you and little else. 

Your action saved him, but it separated you both-- something he’d wished would never happen again. If it was hurting his heart this much, then surely you were hurting just the same and, perhaps, even more so. There was no chance you knew that the prince had handed him over to his advisor, otherwise Gabriel would not have found himself in this predicament. Despite the prince’s care for you, he still had secrets from you and ones that would only serve to break your trust in the man. 

For both your sakes, Gabriel hoped you would see through his curtain of lies and false protection. The prince was using you for some higher purpose and Gabriel would do his best to get the bottom of it from here, but you would be in a much better position to do so. You had your strength and courage, as well as Gabriel’s all encompassing love, to push you forward and keep you safe. You’d managed to thwart the prince’s threat of harm towards Gabriel at the Black Swamp; now you would have to find a way to reunite with your true love before anything worse could happen. 

The quiet clanging of keys drew Gabriel’s attention upwards from his lap. Satya, the witch’s apprentice, was approaching with his daily stale crust of bread and wooden cup of frigid water. She set the tray down as she put the key into the lock, eyeing Gabriel wearily. “Stay put now.” she warned, turning the key and pushing the barred iron door open. She kept her gaze on him as she slipped into the cell and brought his sad excuse for a meal closer. “Can you move yet or will I have to feed you myself?”

“Go to hell.” Gabriel spat, glaring at the woman. His fingers twitched, but could not even move far enough to form a fist. 

“You do know that I could simply leave you to attempt to eat yourself.” Satya warned in an unamused tone, picking the hardened bread up in her frail-looking but work-worn hand. She lifted it to his lips, holding it there until he begrudgingly took a bite. The dry crust took forever to chew and his mouth was dry enough already, that it kept him from responding. The woman watched him, emotionless as the witch she worked for. “You best be thankful that Moira allows you even this much.”

Gabriel swallowed, the lump of chewed bread raking down his esophagus like a jagged rock. He winced as it travelled down to his empty stomach, sitting heavier on it then the constant hunger it felt. “Water.” he choked out. A moment later, Satya pressed the wooden cup to his lips and Gabriel drank as much of the ice cold liquid as he could at once. Some didn’t make it into his mouth and ran down his chin to drip to his chest. 

“Better?” Satya questioned as she pulled the cup away.

Gabriel nodded silently, not caring to waste the little energy he did have on conversing with the woman. She may have been the one seeing to it that he had enough means to keep on living, but she was by no means an ally. The witch’s servant was faithful to a point and Gabriel knew there was no swaying her to his side. He had nothing to offer her as the witch did, be it employment or other things. 

After finishing the miniscule meal, Satya retreated back to the outside of the cell. As she locked the door behind her, she glanced back at Gabriel. “Oh, mistress mentioned putting you through another round with the machine.” she said casually, as if it meant something pleasant. Gabriel conjured a deep scowl of hatred, meeting the steely gaze of his caretaker. “Rest well, for you will need it.”

The woman left and Gabriel was alone yet again. The news of his imminent torture only served to stir the pool of utter loathing he felt for the witch and her handmaid. He would not rest, at least his mind wouldn’t. For as long as he could, Gabriel was going to think of every possible escape he could make between that moment and the time his captor would send for him to be tormented. If what the witch had said was true, that he’d lost one year of his life to that dastardly contraption, then Gabriel could not afford to waste his downtime. He would escape this place, even if it killed him in the process. You would know what the prince had allowed as Gabriel’s dying wish and perhaps you would hold him one last time, if fate allowed it.


End file.
